No One's Slave
by Gracefuldahlia
Summary: Sora led a secluded but perfectly happy life in a small village on the edge of the country before he was recruited to serve in the queen's palace. There he enters a world of corruption and sexual perversion he had never imagined. Unable to trust anyone, things spiral out of control once the cruel silver-haired favorite of the queen takes an interest in him. Soriku. Rated M.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Sora led a secluded but perfectly happy life in a small village on the edge of the country before he was recruited to serve in the queen's palace. There he enters a world of corruption and sexual perversion he had never imagined. Unable to trust anyone, things spiral out of control once the cruel silver-haired favorite of the queen takes an interest in him. Soriku. Rated M for a reason.

* * *

Chapter 1 – The Palace of Flowers

They had arrived.

"It's very impressive, isn't?"

"Come on kid, this is going to be your home for at least the next ten years, you might as well go through the trouble of actually looking at it."

Reluctantly, Sora, who had been staring at his feet for the main part of their journey, looked up at the enormous structure that stood before him.

He had heard the stories. Everyone had heard the stories of the Queen's residence, the Palace of Flowers. He, like many others from the countryside, had never actually looked upon it, and none of the stories had prepared him for what he was seeing now.

The first thing that hit him was the sheer size of the building. It was almost as big as the entirety of the town he had spent most of his life in. He could not see much of the actual construction because his view was obscured by an enormously high wall. The gilded gates were massive and elegantly ornamented, but there were no guards in sight. Well, aside from his two personal guards, Squall and Seifer. The two men who had taken him from his home, from his family, from everything he had ever known. He had been travelling with them for over a week, all the way from his hometown to the capital, and finally to the Queen's palace, where they stood now. He had gotten to know them better than he wanted to. It made it harder for him to hate them.

Squall was the grim one, the brooding one, the serious one. He hardly ever spoke, and when he did he never used many words. Sora was more than a little afraid of him, mostly because it was nearly impossible to tell what the man was thinking. He had stark, cold grey eyes, eyes that seemed to pierce through Sora and made him feel almost naked. His hair was brown and shaggy, his jawline broad and masculine and his cheekbones high and proud.

And then there was Seifer. Compared to him, Squall seemed almost sympathetic. With short, straw blond hair, a sneer for a mouth and cruel, venomous eyes, Seifer's face was the face of evil to Sora. He had laughed as he pushed Sora's distraught mother to the ground when she rushed at Squall ,who was holding a confused Sora, about to drag him away from her. She had refused to let him go, even after they had shown her the Queen's sigil they carried, which entitled them to do take him to the palace. His young sister had cried loudly and kept reaching out to him. None of it had mattered. Sora was thankful his father hadn't been home, because there was no way he would have let his only son be dragged to some distant palace. His father was a tall and physically impressive man, but against those two he would not have lasted a second, Sora was sure of that. Seifer would have smiled as he cut his throat, mockingly commending his father's courage.

Seifer was the talker of the two, always regaling Leon with some rumour he had picked up from the road, or some perverse story about a girl he had slept with in one of the inns they stayed at on the road, after Leon had gone to bed early. He also liked to tease Sora, to prod him with questions about the 'cowtown' he had grown up in, or to form hypotheses on Sora's sexuality, a subject he seemed disturbingly interested in.

Now his blonde tormentor seemed determined to get an opinion from him on the Palace.

"Come on now, we are not going to see each other for quite a while, we might as well make our last bit of time together count," he sneered, winking, "you cannot look me in the eye and tell me that this does not impress you, country boy."

The palace did impress Sora, very much so in fact. It was said that the Queen had created it herself, that her magic had erected it from the very earth. If it was true, Sora feared to think about the extent of the Queen's magical abilities. _Great in her power, fierce in her anger, wild in her beauty_. That was what they said about the Queen in the countryside.

The gates opened then, and Sora strode through them with his guardians flanking him. They entered into an enormous garden, and Sora could not help but gasp.

It was the most beautiful place he had ever seen. A paved path flanked by rows of flowery shrubbery and proud, tall pillars led to a beautiful fountain. Pale light gleamed from rectangular openings carved in the top section of the pillars. Two streams flowed on either side of the path, rows of flowery shrubbery lining their edges, and over the streams loomed arched bridges made of artfully crafted stone. On the left stood a temple or shrine of some sorts, with a vaulted roof and elegant silver benches against its walls. On the right of the path was a circular chapel of a similar structure, with a small pond in the middle of it. Flowerbeds in exquisite shapes and patterns could be seen all throughout the garden. The smell of flowers hung heavily in the air, a smell so delicious Sora found his spirits lifted for the first time since he had been taken captive.

"Would you look at this, Squall," Seifer commented, "our little ray of sunshine is actually smiling!"

That wiped Sora's smile away, but it did not manage to destroy his joyful mood.

_If I have to be a prisoner somewhere, this does not seem like such a bad place._

* * *

A man awaited them at the palace doors. "I will take it from here, gentlemen. Your service is appreciated, as always." He spoke in a soft voice, while examining Sora carefully.

Sora looked at him closely. His appearance was very striking, he had dark skin but hair as white as snow, held back by a blue headband. He was handsome, with intelligent brown eyes and soft, almost feminine facial features. He was dressed rather oddly, wearing a yellow trimmed green coat over a khaki shirt and khaki trousers, with brown boots underneath. On his coat were two white panels with odd glyphs on them.

"All right. Well, Sora, it has been an absolute pleasure. We will probably not meet again, unless you intend to replace Baralai here as soon as he grows too old for the Queen's liking. Which could be any day now, I reckon. How old are you now, Barry? Approaching 30, I would say."

The briefest flash of anger passed in Baralai's eyes. Sora barely noticed it, but it was certainly there. "My age is no concern of yours. I would advise you to hold your tongue, Seifer, or I might convince the Queen you will serve her better without it."

"Easy now. I still respect you and everything. My sincerest apologies. So how about you inform us of our next target?"

Sora froze. Next target? That meant someone else was to be torn away from their home... He shivered at the idea.

"The \queen has her eye on a boy from the Badlands. A quiet youth named Shuyin living in a small town called Villeria. He looks quite a bit like Tidus, in fact."

Seifer grinned. "Is that why the queen wants him? A set of handsome twins to –"

Baralai interrupted him. "The Queen's motives are not for you to ponder."

"Just being curious, that is all. Well, I guess it is off to the Badlands than. You do send us out to the nicest places. Let's go Squall."

Sora was surprised to see the grimmer of his guards hesitate.

"Is… How is Cloud doing?"

Sora thought he saw a flash of sympathy in the white-haired man's eyes.

"He is well. He asks about you often. The Queen has seen to his wounds herself, and to my surprise decided to keep him here, in the palace. If you want, I could arrange a meeting in the chapel upon your return, if you bring this Shuyin here quickly enough."

"Thank you. I would appreciate that." There was actual joy in Squall's eyes. Sora could hardly believe it, and he wondered at who this Cloud might be, and what exactly he meant to Squall.

The two men left and Sora was left alone with Baralai, who beckoned for him to come with him into the palace. They entered into a large foyer with a row of paintings on the walls. They depicted a multitude of different historical scenes: the fall of the usurper's army, the crowning of the queen, the cleansing of the evil forest and the Burmecian estrangement. Baralai spoke to him as they passed into a wide hallway.

"As you have probably already picked up, I am Baralai. I am the first courtier to the Queen and her first and foremost servant here in the Palace. Did Squall and Seifer inform you of your duties here?"

"No."

"During your stay here you are to address me as 'my lord'. Do you understand?"

"Yes… my lord."

"Good. What do you already know about what befalls those who receive the honour of being trained at the Palace of Flowers?"

Sora hesitated, "I come from a small village in the west of Rozarria, I have never heard much of such things. My lord."

"Surely you must have heard some rumours?"

"Only what everyone already knows. That boys of around fifteen are summoned every so often to serve in the Palace. I do not know anything about what they do there, only that they personally serve the queen and that they receive some manner of training there. And after some years they leave the palace and become generals, preators, guild masters, and executors."

"You are correct. It is the greatest of honours, a privilege above all others. Only a select few are chosen to serve the queen."

"I am… honoured, my lord," Sora lied, "but I have wondered: why me? I have never excelled in anything. I grew up far away from the capital. I have no reputation the queen could possible know about. How did she even learn of my existence?"

"The queen sees much," Baralai answered mysteriously, "and she must have seen something in you, to have you summoned here. You will be informed of your various duties during your first week here. For now it suffices to know that you will serve the queen. In any way she so desires."

They took a turn, into a narrower passage. The hallways were lit by blue flames shining brightly in silver torches hanging on the wall. Enormous, exotic looking flowers could be seen at some parts of the hall, moving behind walls of thick glass.

"Tonight you will be presented to the queen. Your supper will be delivered to your quarters. Afterwards, other servants will prepare you for the night. Demyx will cleanse you and Marluxia will dress you and ensure that you look your best for the queen. Now, I have to ask about your previous experiences."

"What… experiences, my lord?"

"Your sexual experiences," Baralai replied, seemingly unembarrassed by the personal nature of his question, "have you ever been with a woman before?"

The question shocked Sora. In the village he grew up in people never talked about such things, and if they did it was certainly not in such a casual manner.

"I have… no, my lord. I have only ever kissed a girl."

The thought of Kairi hurt. He would most likely never see her again. Or his family, or any of his friends. He could still see her, the sun shining in her hair, which was the colour of fruity red wine. He could see her cheerful blue eyes, her light, elegant frame and her mouth that always seemed to smile. He swallowed heavily. The best thing to do would be to forget her entirely, to banish the memory to the back of his mind.

"Have you ever been with a man?"

This thought shocked him even more. He had heard that in the cities such things were not uncommon, and it was a well-known truth that many of the nobility and the upper class took part in couplings of that nature, but it was an unspeakable sin on the countryside. A friend of Sora's, a simple boy with a pretty face, had once been cornered by a group of older boys and raped repeatedly. Afterwards he and his entire family moved away rather than face the shame of having their son known as sodomized. Having another man inside you turned you into less than a man, in the eyes of the community. Rape was a crime almost as severe as murder, though it was more common. Once you were raped as a man you were tainted for life, you were neither man nor woman. Any prospects you might have had were ruined. Homosexuals were thrown in prison for their sins. Although the queen had denounced the church and all of its rules when she came into power, the old beliefs still lingered on the countryside.

"Never, my lord."

"No need to look so disgusted," Baralai said in a way which could almost be described as amused, "in fact, you had better get used to the idea. During your stay here you will be with many men. It is part of your services to the Queen."

"I… how… I do not understand…" Sora sputtered, unable to comprehend what the white-haired man was telling him.

Baralai sighed. "You will serve the Queen in various ways. Your services to her include those of a sexual nature. The queen has certain… appetites that we, as her servants, are required to sate."

This shocked Sora to his very core. All he had ever heard about the Queen was about her great beauty and magical power, how she had united the empire against the usurper, how her magic had cleansed the most corrupted places throughout the land of evil, how she was wise and beautiful beyond imagining. Nothing he had ever heard prepared him for this. He had been prepared to spend more than a decade of his young life as a servant, cooking and cleaning and doing other simple tasks perhaps, but he had not been prepared for this.

"You are speechless, I see." Baralai observed, "this may come as a shock to you, but the Queen has, understandably, grown restless in her immortality. You have until tonight to get used to the idea of being with a man."

They had stopped walking, they were standing in front of an ornamented purple door, in a long hallway with many identical doors. Baralai opened the door and urged Sora in.

"These are to be your new quarters. I will leave you now. I suggest you take some rest before tonight. You may very well be going to need it."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: the End of Innocence**

Sora was left alone in his quarters, the place he would probably be sleeping in the next ten to fifteen years. As he looked around him he had trouble taking it all in. _All of this…. For me?_

It was a huge square space. There was a desk made of red oak, an enormous wardrobe Sora found to be filled with only a few snow white towels, a closet full of books of all kinds, and an enormous bed that dominated the entirety of the room. A chandelier hung from the roof of the chamber. Candles were lit up all around the room, emitting a soft, warm glow that made the chamber seem even more welcoming and beautiful. On the desk stood a simple but elegant vase in which stood a single sunflower.

There was a doorway which Sora found to lead into a chamber which impressed him even more. It was a bathing chamber with an actual toilet and… a bath. Sora gazed at it with his mouth wide open. It was enormous. Ten persons could easily fit in it. From the wall came a number of golden pipes with handles on top. Sora could not resist pulling the handles, and out of one came hot water, out of another cold water and out of the others came various soaps and oils with delicious smells.

Sora had heard that such luxuries were available to the wealthy, city-dwelling upper class, but he had never imagined experiencing them for himself, let alone to posses a room such as this one. Back at home they had emptied their bowels in a shady wooden privy which stood outside their house. Baths were only taken around once a week, in a wooden tub that seemed like it could fall apart at any second. They had to take turns in bathing, switching the order of who got to go first and got the clean, warm water every week.

Suddenly Sora felt much less like a prisoner, although he still ached for his family and his friends. And Kairi… How would she have responded when she learned that he had been taken away all the way to the capital? He could already see her rallying all of his friends together and setting out on a journey to safe him… But that, of course, was too much to hope for. Even if they managed to travel all the way to the capital and survive, what could they possibly do? The queen's castle was surrounded by a wall that was too high to scale, and it was said there were other powers guarding it as well…

He sat down on the bed, and, for the first time, allowed himself to think about Baralai's words. So he was to be a servant to the queen… and not just a conventional servant. The idea that the queen, who was considered the wisest and most benevolent ruler of Rozarria in all of history, took pleasure in seeing her servants perform sexual acts with each other was as disturbing as it was incomprehensible to Sora. There had been some odd speculations, of course, about why only the most handsome boys were chosen to serve at the palace, but then again the people of Rozarria put great value in physical appearance. Physical beauty was seen as a blessing from the gods. No one had dared to speculate that there was some sexual reason for this preference for physically appealing servants.

He lay down on the bed, suddenly becoming aware of how tired he was. They had been travelling for a week, walking or riding on horseback or travelling by boat along the Vareen river… And they never stopped for long. They only stopped at an inn late at night, and Seifer was there early every morning, waking him up by roughly shaking him by the shoulders. The exertions had left him feeling physically and mentally exhausted. _It would be nice… _he thought, _to finally have a proper sleep…_

* * *

His dreams were violent and dark.

_He was running across an enormous hallway somewhere in a beautiful palace, being chased by a silver dragon, that was breathing fire that scorched his back, he kept on running, but he knew he could not escape… He walked out into the open air but it was filled with smoke that prevented his breathing, he was in the gardens now and everything was burning, dying. Suddenly he was at the gates of the Palace of Flowers, desperate to leave this place behind, knowing he would be safe if he only manage to get beyond those sky-high walls. He knocked heavily on the door, screaming for help, but the gates would not open… He could hear the dragon closing in, and he turned back to face it, but he saw only fire…_

He woke up twitching. At first he had no idea where he was, but then all the memories of the previous week came back to him. Seifer and Leon dragging him of from his home, travelling all across the land, being sick on the wobbly boat… And finally, entering the enormous Palace of Flowers, with a white-haired man showing him the way…

All of a sudden he realized that he was not alone. A blond-haired boy of about his own age was standing over him, solemnly and silently. His blue eyes were hard to read, and his thin mouth had a certain tension to it.

"You will get used to the dreams. Magic is heavy in the air in the Palace, and it manifests in your dreams, and in other ways… My name is Roxas."

Sora looked at the other boy carefully. He looked almost like Sora himself, he noticed. A lithe frame, spiky hair, blue eyes and delicate features… There was a hard edge to him though, an edge Sora knew he himself did not yet have. The boy was wearing simple clothes: a black vest over a white shirt and black trousers.

"R-roxas?" Sora asked dumbly.

The boy looked irritated, "That is what I said, is it not? And you are Sora. The new boy."

He looked down at Sora as if expecting an answer, even though he had not, in fact, asked a question. Sora stirred in the bed, uncomfortably aware of how sweat-soaked his naked body was after his nightmare.

Roxas sighed, once again seeming rather annoyed. He threw a white robe on the bed.

"Here, put this on. Now. It is time to get you to Demyx."

Sora, naked underneath the sheets, was waiting for Roxas to leave the room so that he could put on the robe. Roxas sighed impatiently and pulled the sheets off him. Sora gasped, trying to cover himself up.

"An advice for you," Roxas said, "get rid of that ridiculous small-town prudery. Being ashamed of your own body is not a useful quirk to have in the Palace. Now put on the robe and follow me."

* * *

Roxas led him through many corridors, and as they walked in silence Sora found himself wondering if he would ever know the way around this palace. Roxas certainly seemed to, and he could not have been here for long if he had been recruited at the same age as Sora had been. Finally they reached an enormous hall that must be the bathing area. The air was hot, heavy and humid, and there were baths all around, bubbling baths and steaming baths and baths with ice cubes floating around in them, as well as an enormous, rectangular pool. The hall was completely empty, which surprised Sora. He asked Roxas where all the people were, and the sullen boy replied curtly,

"They are at the feast. All of the servants eat together in the palace dining hall, every day."

After passing through the bathing hall, Roxas led him into a smaller chamber that was slightly bigger than Sora's room. Golden pipes led a torrent of water into a small bath to the right of the room. On the walls were shelves with rows of glass pots with colourful content. Large mirrors hung on the opposite side of the room, and in front of them was a row of tables.

In the centre of the room stood a smiling man with sandy hair and a rather odd hairstyle. He was dressed entirely in blue and white, wearing extravagant robes. His green eyes were cheerful and twinkling. "You must be the new boy! Sora! Nice to meet you! The name's Demyx. Wow, he looks a bit like you Rox!"

This seemed to annoy Roxas, but then again: what did not seem to annoy Roxas?

"Just get started with him and send him to Marluxia as soon as you are done." And after that Roxas promptly left, without saying even a single word of goodbye to Sora.

"So…" Demyx said with a sheepish grin, "Sora, why don't you take off the robe, and I will get a look at what I am working with."

Sora had been prepared for this, but it still felt weird to drop the white robe to his feet and expose himself to this man he had known for about two minutes. After he was naked, Demyx circled around him, assessing every inch of him and muttering to himself.

"You are not very hairy! That is good. Your skin is a bit dry in some places, and we will have to get rid of those bags under your eyes…"

He finally settled down in front of Sora.

"Okay Sora… In preparation of tonight, I am now going to, ehm... cleanse you… This will feel a bit weird, but try to relax and let your mind go blank, alright?"

He spread out his palm towards Sora, and at first Sora was wondering about what he was doing but then water flew out of the basin towards him and he knew. _Magic. _He cried out when it entered his ears, flowing in them and cleansing them. He had expected to encounter magic in this castle, where mysterious powers seemed to be contained in the very air he breathed, but he had not expected it to come from this pleasant, smiling young man.

The water entered him from behind. It was an uncomfortable sensation when the warm water entered him and cleaned him from within, but even more uncomfortable was the thought of why he would have to be cleansed there…

Afterwards, Demyx laid him in the basin and scrubbed his skin all around him with a fruity smelling but rough mixture. He then rinsed the mixture off Sora's skin and had the boy stand next to the basin. He grabbed another glass bottle and, to Sora's dismay, began to apply a foamy blue substance to his private areas and his legs. Thankfully, his touch was soft and professional. Then he grabbed a small silver shaving knife and proceeded to shave every bit of soft hair from Sora's lower body, even the sparse hair between his cheeks. As he worked he chatted almost without pause, informing Sora about every small detail of his life before he came here. He did not speak of his life in the Palace, Sora noted.

Demyx hailed from a small coastal town called Waterwell, in the south of the country. He had always wanted to become a travelling minstrel, though his skill with instruments apparently surpassed the quality of his voice. "Nah, if you want to hear singing, truly good singing, you will have to ask Roxas. He has a voice like an angel, and he sings for the queen…"

He went on and on about how he came from a big family and had lots of sisters that he really missed, about how he learned some magic from his old grandmother who knew only water spells… and other information about his previous life. Sora found himself wondering whether the sandy haired man was always this talkative, or whether he was just trying to make him feel more at ease.

After he finished with the shaving knife he massaged Sora's skin with a milky white substance from yet another glass bottle, which prickled his skin where it touched him. Lastly, he applied a different cream to Sora's face and then he told Sora to put on the white robe again and thanked him for his time.

"Off to Marluxia with you!" He said with a wink, "His room is just on the opposite of this hallway!"

Sora nodded and he had almost left the room when Demyx said, in a voice that had, for once, not even a hint of silliness in it, "Sora?"

He turned around with a questioning look on his face and found Demyx smiling uncomfortably, "Good luck tonight."

* * *

Marluxia turned out to be the opposite of Demyx in many ways. He was soft-spoken with cold blue eyes and reddish hair. He walked around Sora, coolly assessing his body. "Hmm. Very skinny. Cannot be helped, but sometimes the queen prefers it that way for those who are to play a more, ah, passive role… Nice blue eyes… Buttocks hardly distinguishable… Hmm… "

He introduced himself only after examining Sora for what seemed like hours.

"I am Marluxia. In this Palace my task is to take care of the clothes.. and of the flowers. You have walked through the garden on the way into the Palace, I take it?"

Sora was about to reply but Marluxia was already talking again, "Those are simple flowers. Normal ones that require only water and a bit of sun and the absence of weeds… My true work is about the flowers that grow inside of the Palace… Magical flowers, you see. Infused with both the queen's magic, and a bit of my own. They affect everyone in this palace, in a great many ways. Many serve to increase lust, so that we might be more, ah, willing to indulge in acts of carnal pleasure… Others strengthen the queen's magic… Others enhance learning and other cognitive functions… The magic of this Palace lies with the flowers, you see."

As he spoke of flowers he was measuring Sora's hips, followed by every measurable part of his body. His cold eyes softened as he spoke of his flowers. It was clearly a subject he was most passionate about. "I will create an appropriate wardrobe for you. However, what you will wear tonight is of more importance for the moment. Your first impression on the queen is important to your stay in the palace, and to your standing with the other servants. The queen puts great value in appearance, and what you wear might make or break your appearance. Follow me."

They entered an enormous rectangular room that took Sora's breath away. It was an enormous wardrobe, with two stories of clothes above a row of shoes in all colours, forms and sizes imaginable. There were robes, suits, even armour at the back of the room. There seemed to be five sizes of every set of clothes, all aligned next to each other. Marluxia led him to a set of white shirts and trousers, handing him a set of soft white clothing with golden details and ornaments.

"I think white would be appropriate for the night," he mused, "put those clothes on and then follow me into the dressing room so that I might work on your hair."

Sora did as he was bid, and before following Marluxia out of the wardrobe he glanced upon himself in the tall mirror at the far end of the space. Though he had always thought of the urban fashion obsession as a frivolous extravagance that was impossible to follow or take seriously, he had to admit that he liked the way he looked in the luxurious fabrics. He looked somehow more important, and more sophisticated.

After Marluxia had worked a shimmering oil into his hair he sprayed a single whiff of perfume on Sora, and then Roxas was there waiting, leaning against the doorway with his familiar expression of solemn boredom.

"Ready? Took you long enough. After me then, it if off to the queen with you."

As they walked a path Sora quickly lost track of, heading deeper into the palace, Roxas instructed him on how to behave when he met the queen.

"Whatever the queen says, obey her. If you have any thoughts of returning to your old life, best to discard them now. You will not leave this Palace unscathed by offending the queen in some manner. Never speak to her unless spoken to, and always look her in the eyes as you speak to her. If she asks you to do things that might offend you in some way, be sure not to question her."

* * *

Finally, they reached a set of gilded doors, guarded by two withered gargoyles.

"These are the queen's chambers. This is where I leave you. Remember my instructions. Please her tonight, and you will find your stay in the palace far more comfortable. Remember to obey."

With those words he promptly left.

Sora found himself wondering whether he should enter now, or wait until the doors opened, or –

"Come in." a soft but clearly audible female voice spoke.

He took a deep breath, went over the things Roxas had told him, and entered.

The queen's chambers were different from what he had expected. They were simple and not quite so different from Sora's own, aside from the fact that there were several ones, and that a doorway let to a balcony that housed a small garden. He walked into what seemed like the queen's bedroom, and there he saw her for the first time.

She was standing at the other end of her enormous bedchamber, looking at him with mild curiosity. He stared at her in awe. The woman who had united the nation in a time without hope, who had crushed the armies of the Usurper against all odds, who had cleansed the land of evil and foulness. She was more beautiful than any words could ever describe. It was said that the queen's appearance changed just as the weather did, but tonight at least she had softly sun-kissed skin and golden hair that cascaded down her back. Her eyes were big, striking and green, her lips full and red as blood, and she wore an airy set of midnight blue skirts. She stood as tall as Sora himself.

She spoke then, and her voice was velvety and smooth and lovely, "Greetings, Sora of Tyrall, and welcome to the Palace of Flowers."

He did not know what to say, or whether even to say anything, and a second voice spoke, dark and male: "Your queen just spoke to you."

Sora had been so focused on looking at the queen that he had not noticed the boy who was lying lazily on the large bed. He was a pale, lean and striking youth, dressed simply enough in robes as black as coal that left a v-shape of his muscular chest exposed. His face, however, was what struck Sora the most. Turquoise eyes, perfect pale skin, high cheekbones, full lips and silver hair… He had never seen someone with hair so beautiful, although he had heard that the dragonlords of Bumecia had silver hair as part of their legendary good looks.

Right now those turquoise eyes were looking at him with cold disdain. Sora knew he had to speak.

"You are kind, my queen. Your Palace is the most lovely place I have ever set foot in, and the queen who resides there is the loveliest sight I have ever laid eyes on."

She laughed, a carefree sound, loud yet graceful. "An eloquent country boy! How unusual! You will prove a most welcome addition to my court. You are quite a sight yourself, young Sora. What do you think, Riku?"

"I am not sure whether he has even hit puberty yet," the boy said. _A cruel jest, _Sora thought bitterly, _he and I will not be friends. _

"Be kind Riku. You do not want to make this even more unpleasant for the boy," she said, sitting down in a large luxury chair in a corner of the room, "Sora, why do you not join Riku on the bed?"

Sora looked into the queen's eyes, frightened. He could see wisdom in those eyes, a certain quality that only age could bring about, though she did not otherwise look older than twenty years at most. "As you wish." He said, climbing on the enormous bed, not really wanting to be close to the cruel silver-haired boy.

"Come on now," Riku smirked, "I will not bite. And if I do, I can promise you that you will greatly enjoy it."

He put an arm around Sora, who shivered at his touch. He felt very warm, smoldering.

"Sora," the queen addressed him, "you have received a great boon. In this palace you will not only be instructed in the arts, in combat and in leadership, you will also discover all the secret pleasures of the flesh. Riku will introduce you to some of them on this very night. Forget about your vapid girlfriend back in Tyrall, for tonight you will discover levels of ecstasy no commoner shall ever know."

A look passed between him and Riku. The elder boy smiled, no longer mocking, and closed the distance between them.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** New chapter ;) Thanks to all the reviewers!

**Chapter 3 –** **One of Us**

Aqua woke with guilt in her belly.

She had broken her vows, forsaken the oath she swore on the day of her Ascension.

And for what? _A few sweet words, strong hands and a handsome face._ She had known it was a mistake, but she had been lost the moment he pressed his lips against hers. No one had ever made her feel so good, so much like a woman as he did with his words, and with his body.

As a valkyrie she had sworn never to lie with a man, to remain a maiden for the rest of her days. That was the price one had to pay for brandishing the valkyrie's sword, for wielding the sacred arts of the battle maiden and for eternal youth and beauty. And she had thrown it away.

She rose from her bed, which was simple, like the rest of her room. She poured herself a glass of Maiden's mead. _To drown my dreams,_ she thought bitterly.

She found herself wondering if they would find out about it. She would not suspect Setzer of boasting about bedding her, he knew what it would mean for her if he did, but somehow she was sure that the First would find out. Claire Farron had her ways, though exactly what ways they were she could not begin to guess. Lightning she called herself. _A suitable name. Lightning protects nothing – it only destroys. It strikes without warning, leaving nothing but death. _The leader of the valkyries was her sworn sister, but she was also a harsh woman, old before Aqua was born. Aqua knew that she would not be forgiven for breaking her vows. The punishment for breaking the Maiden's vows would mean the sealing away of her powers, and banishment from Arcadia.

She would never wield magic again. She shivered at the idea. Her powers were part of her now, without them she was just some weak, pathetic girl. She would still have her swordsmanship, but she would never be the best in the land without the strength of the valkyries. Any skilled man would be able to best a skinny girl, however quick she might be. The best she could hope for was a quiet life in Rozarria. Perhaps she could marry a wealthy noble in one of the beautiful Roxarrian cities, and live as a rich woman for the rest of her days…. That was not her though. She clenched her fist after putting down the glass of mead. _They must never judge me. _She could not bear it.

There was only one option left to her. She would have to talk to the prince.

* * *

_What the – _

Sora woke up violently, only aware of the sudden coldness and the wetness surrounding him. He opened his eyes and looked around him. There were people standing in his room, all around his bed. Black hoods hid their faces. They all wore the same odd black robes, and the most frightening thing about them was their silence. They just stood there, watching him from the darkness of their hoods. They carried wooden paddles with them

"W-who… who are you?" Sora asked, shivering in his bed, cold water dripping from his face.

The closest figure struck him in the face, a harsh backhand blow that made Sora lose his breath.

"You do not question. Follow us."

Half of the figures left the room, while the other half lingered, apparently waiting for him to move. Hesitating, Sora climbed out of the bed. He had worn breeches tonight, expecting some other surprise or nightly intervention. He gasped at the soreness with which he moved. It hurt even to walk. Memories of the previous night came back, but he pushed them out of his mind, determined to focus on the present situation. The other robed figures followed him, still remaining utterly silent. They walked through the Palace, an odd group of black sentinels guarding a near-naked boy who was dripping wet and shivering. They reached the entrance hall. The palace doors opened for them, without any visible force moving them. The procession walked outside, into the mild summer night. They walked to a patch of grass close to the circular shrine Sora remembered noticing the day before, when he was first brought into the palace. There they gathered around him in a circle.

"Boy," one of them spoke, "you have been brought before the Black Council to undertake the Joining ritual."

Sora frowned, confused. No one had told him anything about any joining rituals he would have to undertake, or about any council, for that matter.

"You are confused. Did you honestly think, were you truly naïve enough to believe that anyone could join the Black Council?"

"No, I –"

"Enough. You insult us with your impudence. Comrade Snow, discipline this despicable country boy, who presumes himself to be better than us."

One of the cloaked figures, an enormous one who stood almost two feet taller than Sora, took a step towards him and hit him, hard on his buttocks with a paddle.

Sora cried out and was knocked to the ground by the force of the blow. He had not been expecting the blow, and the pain took him by surprise. The leader of the pack of black figures spoke again.

"There. Let that be the beginning of your humbling, but do not expect it to be the end of it. Now we will test you. First will be a test of knowledge, followed by a test of endurance and finally a test of fate."

Sora scrambled to his feet, completely confused. He was to be tested? For what?

"The test of knowledge will begin. You will answer questions on the following subjects: history, magical theory, geography, and general knowledge. Should you somehow manage to answer a question truthfully, you will advance to more difficult questions, unscathed. Should you fail to do so, however…"

Another one of the figures stepped forward, with a bottle of deep red fluid Sora recognized. _Arcadian Strongwine. They mean to get me drunk. _

"The first question!" The apparent leader of the group spoke, "list the three Great Nations, in order of size."

_That is easy. _"Burmecia, Rozarria and Arcadia."

"Wrong!" his interrogator cried triumphantly. _What?_

"Bring this foolish boy the strongwine!"

"But…. That was the right.." Sora protested as a glass of the wine was pushed into his hand.

"No, Sora. It was not the right answer. You put the nations in the wrong order. I told you to name the nations in order of size. Naturally I meant for you to start with the largest one first. Now _drink." _

Sora then knew that this was not really a test, but merely some sort of rite designed to humiliate him and feed him drunk. He drank the wine, and it was warm in his throat.

"Next question," the figure asked while Sora was still drinking, "How long has our beloved queen reigned over the empire of Rozarria?"

Sora knew that. They might think that he was just some uneducated country boy, but he had gone to school, and he knew his history.

"Two hundred and thirty-four years."

"Everyone knows that. How many months? Weeks? Days?"

_Is he joking? _Apparently not, because before he knew it Sora was tossing back another glass of strongwine. He could already feel it affecting him: he was feeling strangely relaxed, even though he was standing outside in the cold night air wearing nothing but his breeches, surrounded by a group of tall, intimidating robed figures.

The questioning went on and on, until Sora lost count of the questions and the cups of wine he had consumed. His head was starting to feel heavier and heavier and he was just about to faint when the leader of the pack spoke up again.

"That is enough. The second part of the joining is now upon us. "

"Finally!" Sora said, feeling bold with the alcohol flowing through his veins. He giggled a little; causing some members of the group that surrounded him to chuckle, breaking their intimidating manner.

"You are not to speak unless spoken to." Their leader, however, never fell out of his role. "The test of strength is upon you. Hand the recruit his weapon."

Sora was then handed a pathetic, wooden sword.

"The test of strength will now commence. Defend yourself, or suffer…"

One of the figured stepped forward, wielding a paddle that in his hands somehow seemed like a far more formidable weapon than Sora's wooden sword. Sora raised his sword awkwardly, warily. The strongwine coursing through his veins was causing him to feel rather brave and confident. He felt like he could take on this paddle-wielding cloaked coward, and a great many more just like him.

That feeling did not last.

Before Sora even had time to think, the figure moved, quicker than Sora would have thought possible. He struck at the sword Sora had been wielding with the paddle, and it flew out of his hand. The next strike hit him viciously on his thigh.

"Defend yourself!" Their leader commanded. _With what?_ Sora was desperately trying to protect his face as he was brutally pummelled over and over again.

"Pathetic! Comrades, teach this weakling how a craven is treated at the Palace!"

And then there were more paddles, hitting him from all sides. He cried out in pain, falling down to his knees. They hit him everywhere: his back, his legs, his arms… Someone pulled him to his feet, only to hit his backside with such force that he screamed like a girl and jumped into the air. They hit him and hit him, until there was nothing but pain.

Rage took over then, and an odd sense of calmness came over Sora then. He could feel his anger building up inside him. His vision blurred, but his mind was clear. He found a force deep within himself, and he released his rage and his pain all at once.

"STOP!" he cried, and all of those who were striking him were pushed away by some violent force that seemed to come from Sora himself, a blast so powerful it knocked some of them into the air, dropping them yards away from where they had been lifted.

A silence came over the group. Sora stood up, feeling nothing but numbness, and a faint tiredness. Those robed figures that had been knocked to the ground stood up, staring at him form the darkness underneath their hoods. Some of them started muttering amongst themselves.

"Enough!" Their leader spoke, and the group fell silent once again and gathered in a circle around him, "that was… unexpected. You have passed the test of strength. Good. You might survive the joining after all… However, the test of fate still lies before you, and that is where you must truly show your mettle. You must follow now."

While Sora was still wondering about what exactly had just happened, they led him to the circular shrine Sora had noticed when Seifer and Leon had led him into the castle, through the magnificent gardens and to the gates where Baralai had awaited them. It consisted of an arched roof lifted up by a circle of slender pillars surrounding a pool of water.

"For the last task, you must dive into the Moon Shrine. Within its depths, all the way at the bottom of the trench, lie the pendants that each member of the Black Council wears. If you are worthy, one of these pendants will light up for you. Bring it back up with you. If you succeed, the pendant is yours, and you shall forever be one of us. Fail to do so, and you will suffer the consequences…"

Then there was silence. He hesitated, stepping towards the water. It was only a small circle of water, about two yards across, but it was impossible to tell how deep it went. The water was a deep blue in the moonlight.

They were waiting for him. A tension hung in the air. He did not know what to do. Was he now supposed to just jump into the water? When he looked towards the leader of the robed figures he saw a small nod, hardly noticeable. He dove into the water.

Unlike most of the boys who lived in the area he came from, Sora knew how to swim well. When he was just a little boy his father had taken him to the lake and threw him in, laughing his cheerful laugh. At first Sora had been terrified and furiously angry at his father, thinking he had meant to murder him. But he learned fast, and within a few days he was begging his father to go to the lake as soon as he was done with school.

Now he was rather thankful for Zackary Fair's harsh swimming lessons. At first he didn't move, letting the force of his dive carry him deeper into the water, afraid to hit the bottom all of a sudden. It seemed just like the group of cloaked figures to direct him to swim to some deep abyss only to watch as he broke his neck on the shallow stone floor.

That did not happen however, and he started swimming. _Slow and wide strokes _he could hear his father saying, _you will go just as fast but you won't run out of breath as quickly. _His behind still hurt from the night before, and he was bruised all around from the beating, but the water was somehow soothing and he was as strong a swimmer as he had always been.

He started panicking when he just kept on swimming down into the abyss, without anything to guide him or to tell him he was processing further into the trench. He wondered whether he would be able to make his way back if the trench turned out to be any deeper. That was when the light appeared. It was hard to tell how far down it was, but he could see a beautiful silver light shining at the bottom. It was the loveliest sight he had ever seen. He swam on with renewed strength, and then he was at the bottom. He reached out for the light, and felt the stone floor to be littered with silvery pendants. He grabbed the one the light seemed to come from, and pushed himself off the floor with his legs. He knew he had to stay calm, but he was running out of air and the trench was deeper he had thought it would be. The water was pressing onto his ears. He could feel the pressure building in his head as he started to feel the results of the lack of oxygen. He thought he could see the moonlight shining through, or was that just an illusion? _I'll die now, I'll run out of strength and I'll sink back to the bottom and I will lie there forever, on top of the shiny pendants. _He panicked, and despite everything his father taught him he kicked desperately at the water. He could feel a pain behind his eyes; his head was feeling lighter and lighter, and then –

He was free. He broke the surface of the water with a long retching gasp for air. The silver trophy seemed to shine brighter than ever in his hand, and a huge smile appeared on his face. Perhaps it was the wine, or perhaps it was the near-death experience, but he could honestly admit that he had never felt more alive.

No longer harsh, the leader of the group held out his arm to him to pull him out of the water.

"Congratulations recruit. You passed the test of Fate. You succeeded."

As one, the cloaked figures removed their hood, revealing by far the best-looking set of faces he had ever seen. Back in Tyral he had been considered reasonably good-looking, but he knew he was plain and homely compared to these men. The leader had splendid red hair that seemed to be on fire, and emerald eyes that shone with a feverish glow. Next to him was a young man with delicate features and spiky blond hair, and enormous eyes that were the most innocent shade of blue. His hair was a brighter blond than Roxas', and his eyes seemed less cold somehow. The rest of them were just as handsome. He recognized Roxas, Demyx and Marluxia, but Baralai and Riku were absent. Sora had never really thought men could be beautiful, but these men were. To his embarrassment he found his breeches to become rather tight all of a sudden.

"Show us the pendant." The red-haired man told him.

Sora held it up, only truly seeing it for himself now. It was a rather simple pendant, made of silver. It was a chain with a small silver crown attached to it, plain but elegant.

"You…. The crown has chosen you." The man said, with a strange admiration in his voice, "how… interesting."

Sora frowned, puzzled. Had that pendant really chosen him? Had there been a chance that there would be no sudden light in the darkness of the trench?

Then, with a bizarre severity, the red-haired leader pressed his lips on Sora's forehead. They were strangely warm, and Sora was horrified to feel himself blushing

"Welcome, Sora, to the Black Council, also known as the Court of Roses. I am Axel, and these are your brothers, now and forever. You have passed the joining. You are one of us."


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to all reviewers - you motivate me ;) Warning for the faint of heart: there is a LEMON at the end of this chapter, so skip the last section if you have a problem with that...

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Awakening**

They came for her before her training. Aqua was just finishing her breakfast in the dining hall, a light meal of honeyed cakes and a spinach salad, when Hrist and Serah came up behind her, faces grim.

"The First wishes to see you in her office."

Aqua had not expected the First to act quite so fast. She had expected her to perhaps find out later, or perhaps to take some time on deciding what to do, but not this. A day had not even past since the.. incident. _She has some otherworldly power, this woman. _

Aqua looked at the two girls standing behind her, her sworn sisters. Hrist was as loyal as Valkyries came, icy in her sense of duty. Aqua could see the cold disapproval in her hazel eyes. _This one would sooner die than forsake her vows. _Hrist would have made a good First herself, but her mind lacked creativity. She was better at following than leading, and served ably as Lightning's second. Serah, the younger of the two, was very different. She was Lightning's younger sister, and both had been gifted with the powers of the Valkyries. The two siblings could not have been more different. Lightning was a hard woman, cool and collected but terrible when roused. Serah was more impulsive, and had a gentler heart.

Aqua considered fleeing then, reaching for her sword and challenging the two others. She might be able to surprise the two; only the First herself was sure to defeat her in a duel. But she would never make it out of the Tower of the Valkyries. There was no choice involved; she had to go with Serah and Hrist, to face whatever punishment Lightning saw fit to inflict on her.

They led her to the office of the First, all the way at the top of the Tower. As she climbed the spiralling stairs, the two other silent Valkyries flanking her on both sides, Aqua felt like a prisoner already.

When they arrived Hrist knocked on the door. "In," a brusque voice answered.

They entered into the office, a simply decorated, roughly square room that was dominated by several bookshelves and an enormous desk made out of dark stone. The chair behind it was empty, and standing next to it was Claire Farron, the First of the Valkyries. Some would call her beautiful, but Aqua thought it was a beauty without warmth. Her eyes were cold and strangely colourless, her smile rare and forced.

"Leave us." Lightning said, making a dismissive hand gesture towards Serah and Hrist, who promptly saluted and left the room. Aqua was mildly amused that the First would dismiss her guards. _She wants me to know that she does not fear me. Perhaps she should know better. _

"Sit down, Aqua."

She obeyed, sitting down in one of the gilded chairs that stood opposite the desk.

"You probably already know why you are here." The First's eyes bore into her, making her feel quite ill at ease. They were eyes without mercy that seemed to pierce through you and see you for the disgusting pathetic human being that you actually were, a sharp contrast from the beautiful, deadly Valkyrie that the common people saw.

"I do hope your little tumble was worth it. This will cost you your future."

Aqua stiffened in her chair.

"You showed such promise. From the first moment I saw you I knew you would do well. I knew the way the noble girls treated you, I did… And I knew it would only increase your determination to surpass them all. A sad end to your talent. Your powers will be extracted tomorrow. After that, you will be banished. We will need time to prepare for the extraction ritual, and we would not want to worry the young prince, he likes you well…. So today you will act like nothing is wrong; guard him as you normally do. If you have any notions of escaping the castle before the extraction, best to abandon them now. I will have people watching you… And furthermore…"

She snapped her fingers. The door opened and two men in grey robes entered the chamber. _Alchemists. _

The alchemists were researchers who worked in the castle, not quite wizards but close to it. Aqua saw the golden bracelets one of them held in his hands and knew what they were doing here.

"These magic dampeners will block your offensive magic as well as your seiken abilities. You will still be able to cast curative spells, but that will be the limit of it. Until the extraction ritual this will have to do."

As the alchemists put on the dampeners with their cold, wrinkled hands, Aqua did not fail to notice Lightning watching her carefully with her cold, businesslike eyes. _She's challenging me to make a move, to act now while I still have all my powers. _

Aqua was not about to make a move, though. Not yet.

* * *

"Sora, your knowledge of our nation's history is quite impressive for a country boy. Where did you learn all this?"

"My mother taught me some history. And I went to school. We are not all uneducated peasants out in the country, you know."

Hope Estheim annoyed him to no end. And this was to be his teacher, someone he had to spend every morning with… He was the stereotype of the snobby aristocratic well-educated city dweller. He had raised his feminine eyebrows when Sora told him that yes, he had been taught how to read.

His father, Hope had been quick to inform him, had been the architect who designed "The world-famous fountains of Gizette, as well as the Smith's guild building in Solde and 'several other well-known architectural marvels." As soon as he had heard where Sora was from he had rolled his eyes, and he had spent the better part of the morning trying to find gaps in his knowledge. He was not much taller than Sora, but he did his best to look down on him, watching him with those cool green eyes that shone with disdain. His hair was silvery, but not quite as beautiful as Riku's, rather more ordinary and a little girly, in Sora's opinion.

"So let's go over this again. What did our beautiful empire look like two thousand years ago?"

Sora sighed.

"It was a collection of small kingdoms, constantly warring with each other. North of those kingdoms was a larger kingdom, Dalmasca. The king there, Stefan Valerian, was an ambitious man, and it was said that his family possessed mysterious magical powers. The kings of what is now Rozarria feared him, but he had no son to serve as an heir, only a young daughter, Aurora. So they decided he had to die before his wife could give him a son, and they sent their assassin's out to the north. After his dead, they thought the 'northern threat' had disappeared, and they went back to fighting each other. It was all fine during the summer, but then came an extremely cold winter. They each needed products only other kingdoms could supply, crops failed, there was a plague, it was chaos. That's when the daughter of the Dalmascan king invaded the northern nations."

"What was she like? What did they call her?" Hope prodded, always ready to ask for details.

"They called her the Queen of Winter. She took the kingdoms completely by surprise; none of them had believed a woman capable of leading a country, led alone of starting a war. Their laws did not allow for women to rule, or even to hold their own lands. By the time they decided they had to unite once more, she had taken control of half of the continent. Wherever she went men marvelled at her beauty and hastened to follow her, and her army was mightier than any army the world had ever seen."

"That was not the only reason she prevailed, though," Hope's eyes gleamed hungrily, he thought he had discovered a flaw in Sora's knowledge.

"She had a magic the kings had never seen before. The Valerian family could summon aeons, godlike beings that could wipe out small armies. Supposedly she was the most gifted summoner the her family had ever produced. And she led her soldiers from the front lines, on the back of an aeon that crushed her foes at her whim. The last few southern nations yielded to her, and she created the Rozarrian empire, named after her family's sigil, a red rose, making the Faris her capital. Her family ruled for many centuries, until, -"

"Until the Usurper came. You can tell me all you know about Burmecia and Sephiroth Marcassadar tomorrow. That will be all for today, Sora. We will move on to later history on the morrow, as well as introducing you to arithmetics. Go have lunch now, and after that you will be trained in the martial arts by Zidane. Meet him in the dojo. He is not the best swordsman we have here, nor the best archer, but he has a way of bonding with the new boys, and he's certainly well-trained. Off with you now." Then he walked briskly out of the small classroom-like chamber, leaving Sora to ponder his lesson.

This was what Sora hated about Hope: the fact that he acted as if he was much older, cleverer and wiser than Sora, even though he couldn't be more than eight years older.

He made his way over to the dining hall, a large space dominated by an enormous rectangular table that held plates and bowls filled with steaming soups, colourful salads and exotic-looking fruits. He sat down next to Roxas.

"Hey there," he said, smiling widely, ignoring the other boy's eye-roll. He was determined to make the sullen boy his friend. He might act a little cold but he was not as overly extravert as some of the other boys, nor was he as arrogant, and he seemed to know lots of useful information about the castle and the other boys. More than that, he seemed oddly trustworthy to Sora. He was honest in any case, to the point of being rather brusquely opinionated.

"So how did you enjoy Hope's nagging? Axel's rallying people to pull him from his bed at night and torture him for a bit, if you want to join in. They are looking for more accomplices to spread out the queen's wrath, so feel free to join. "

Sora laughed. "He does get rather tiring, doesn't he? He reminds me of my 60 year old math instructor."

"Oh there's a whole other side to him than that though. He squeals like a girl when Noel touches him, and twice as loud when Snow pulls him onto his lap."

Sora still found it difficult to get used to the casual mentioning of sex, even though it seemed to come up in every conversation he had in the Palace.

"So what's up next for you? Something physical I guess?"

"Uhm yes, Hope told me I'm supposed to meet up with Zidane for ehm… martial training? Does he mean swordplay and other things like that? "

"That's right, the queen likes us deadly. Zidane's nice, you are lucky that he's the one training you and not that idiot Zell."

Roxas seemed to have an opinion about everything and everyone. The previous day, when he had been showing Sora more of the Palace and explaining to Sora what was expected of him, he had pointed out everyone they met and given Sora a detailed description of their personality.

There was Noel, a boy who had grown up chopping wood with his father in the northern mountains. He was the boss of the Palace kitchens. Roxas told Sora that Noel liked to swear a lot, but that it was foolish to call him out on it. "He was throwing axes before he could walk. He can plant one between your eyes from half a mile away." That seemed rather exaggerated to Sora, but he still made an effort to stay well away from the wild-haired, foul-mouthed boy.

There was Axel, the self-appointed leader of the 'Black Council'. "He's an idiot and completely self-absorbed, but he's pretty good with fire magic. He likes to prove it constantly by burning things… and people."

Axel's best friend was Saix, a scary man with blue hair and yellow eyes who had a tendency to lose himself during sparring matches and cause his partner severe injuries.

Zexion was Hope's fellow tutor and eternal rival. "No one is better at mathematics or magical sciences than Hope, but Zexion has read just about every book that was ever written. They argue for ages about the most boring and complicated topics."

Tidus was the first person Roxas said was "Okay to hang out with." He seemed instantly sympathetic to Sora, with his bright smile and handsome face. "Never ask him about his family, though. He likes to whine about his father."

After Riku, Cloud was the most perfectly shaped boy Sora had ever seen. He had big blue eyes, messy blond hair and a sly smile that could turn into a cocky grin at any time.

"He's a bedslave from the Shimmering Shores. His mother sold him for a pair of goats when he was nine. He was trained in what they call the 'Eight Eternities of pleasure'. Get him to like you. You won't regret it, I can tell you that."

And of course there were a lot of people Sora had yet to meet, but he could count on Roxas to tell him all about them.

As Sora poured himself some spicy tomato soup he licked his lips. Noel might be as foul-mouthed as Tyral's old town drunk, but he sure knew how to cook.

Then he thought of something and his good mood vanished.

"The queen said to come to her room again tonight. Do you think she will.."

"Let Riku have his way with you again? Oh yes. Try to relax, it is easier that way. I went through the same thing, though only once with Riku… She must like you if she calls you back already! Or maybe Riku likes you… If he is even capable of liking someone other than himself…"

"But…. I'm still, you know… hurting from the first time.. Is there any way I can get out of it?"

"Nope, if Riku tells the queen he wants to fuck you, that's what's going to happen."

Sora winced at the memory. When he had sometimes imagined his first time, it had been exciting and amazing. All he felt when he thought about his first night in the Palace was pain. And maybe a bit of pleasure too. He had been oddly struck with the silver-haired boy, cruel as he was. He feared him and desired him at the same time, he desired him in a way he had never desired Kairi… But the thought of being used like that again filled him with terror.

Roxas noticed his reaction. "I can tell Cloud to come to you before tonight. He can teach you how to make it less painful and more pleasurable. And he can teach you how to please Riku. If you can do that, you'll do well here in the castle."

* * *

She found the prince in the solar, the bright sun shining down on his golden hair. Prince Ventus was praying, kneeling in front of an image of Odin. _What does he pray for?_ Probably for the king of the gods to bring wisdom to his father. He did not hear her enter the room, or perhaps he chose to finish his prayer. She gently laid a hand on his shoulder.

"My prince."

He stayed still for a moment, and then he stood up. Even at 16, he still was not quite as tall as she was. Like the rest of his family, he was probably late in reaching his full height. His father was a tall man, and his sister was as tall as she was, willowy and beautiful. He still looked like a boy to her, with an innocence in his face and in his heart that left him helpless to Arcadia's foul politics.

"Aqua. I'm glad that you are here. I have been told you'd been taken to the First. Nothing serious, I hope?"

_Should I tell him?_

"No, my prince. Nothing that needs concern you." Better to wait, she decided.

"I hope you have reconsidered my proposal. I know I ask a great deal of you, and that it isn't right for me to compel you to give up all your prospects, but you are the only one I trust, and –"

"My prince," she interrupted him, "I have reconsidered. I will aid you in your escape. I will see you safely to Rozarria."

The day before, the prince had broken down completely, complaining about his father with tears in his eyes. "This war he wants, it will destroy us all," he had said, "It is all so meaningless! What ill have the Rozarrians ever done to us? How can he hope do defeat the immortal queen? He has gone mad, I tell you, he is no longer the father he once was..."

Then he had gone to his knees, pleading with her to take him from the capital all the way across the Stormy Sea to Rozarria, to warn the queen and seek refuge in her impregnable Palace of Flowers. She had told him she needed time to consider, that she served the realm and that meant serving the king, and he had left her flustered and confused. Perhaps that was the reason she had sought comfort with Setzer…

Now everything had changed. Any prospects she might have had were gone, and she needed to escape the capital as much as he did, if not more. She explained her plan to him, telling him about the secret passage Setzer had told her about. He embraced her when he realized she would go with him. "I knew you would help me. Thank you Aqua."

Then they left. Aqua knew they might be followed, and she was prepared to deal with anyone who got in their way. Lightning had cronies aplenty, she would not miss a few.

Through the twisted hallways they went, deeper into the castle. Aqua could feel the presence behind them with her heightened senses, but she knew it was better to wait until they had entered the passage.

They reached the statue of Freya, goddess of beauty. Aqua reached up and blushed as she pressed the nipple of the naked sculpture, turning it as Setzer has shown her. There was a click, and then the sound of shifting stone as a panel behind the statue moved. Ventus whistled. "That's…. ingenious. And rather perverted, I would say."

As soon as they had entered the tunnel the opening closed above them. Aqua gestured towards her prince to stay silent, and wait. For a while, all was still. _Perhaps he is clever, perhaps he has turned back and run straight to Lighting…_

She almost told the prince to hurry on as fast as they could when the panel moved again. An armoured figure climbed tentatively down the ladder. He was armoured in the style of the King's elite guard, with not a patch of skin visible to the eye. His armour was crafted of red steel, and his helmet had two slender spikes protruding into the air.

Aqua was on him as soon as he landed on the floor, moving with the inhuman speed of a trained Valkyrie. She pinned him against the wall, pulled out his sword from his scabbard and cast it aside, and then moved to remove his helm. The soldier did not resist her, and she thought she could hear him grinning through his helmet…

When she had pulled off the helmet and looked at the face of their pursuer, she gasped. She knew that face, those gleaming blue eyes, that long, messy dark brown hair, that confident grin.

"Well well," Terra said, "long time no see."

* * *

Sora's training session with Zidane turned out to be infinitely more enjoyable than his strenuous history lesson with Hope had been. Zidane was quick to smile and a very fast talker, and he was also nice, nicer than anyone Sora had met in the palace. He told Sora he had talent with a sword, and that he would learn quickly.

He was also a hash trainer however, and Sora felt sore all over when he finally returned to his room and filled his bath with foaming hot water. As he slipped out of his sweaty training clothes and into the pool, he sighed with pleasure. The water was almost scalding hot, but Sora liked the heat. He let himself go and forgot about his troubles for a while, until he remembered what awaited him tonight. In a way, the thought of being with Riku again excited him.

To him, the silver-haired boy seemed mysterious and dangerous, and what he learned from the other servants only supported this. Apparently Riku was the queen's favorite, the only one she still shared her own bed with, and even Baralai, who was technically in charge of all the other boys, was wary of him. The other boys all seemed rather jealous of him because of this…

After he left the bath and dried off his body, he fell down on the bed. The day had been long and exhausting, both physically and mentally. But the worst part was perhaps still to come…

He had almost dozed off, feeling drowsy after his hot bath, when he heard a soft knocking on the door. Sora frowned as he put on his velvet bathing robe. He knew it was not yet time for him to be taken before the queen.

He opened the door and almost lost his breath as he stood face to face with Cloud, who looked almost like a god in an airy white garb.

"Hi Sora. I don't believe we have met. The name's Cloud. May I come in?" He spoke with a pleasant smile. _His voice is as sweet as his looks. This one was born a heartbreaker. _

Unable to form a coherent answer, Sora gestured for the elder boy to enter. Smiling, Cloud complied and sat down on the bed, looking at Sora with an odd curiosity in his eyes.

"Roxas sent me. He told me you were inexperienced when it comes to some of the more delicate tasks we have to complete here in the Palace… I'm here to teach you."

Sora's confusion must have shown in his face, because Cloud smiled again and said, "You have met Hope, who will teach you about history and mathematics, and Zidane who can teach you how to fight. I'm here to teach you about love. No worries. I've taught most of the boys during their first weeks here. Granted, many of them had plenty of experience with girls, but little experience when it comes to the art of making love to a man."

He patted the space on the bed next to him.

"Why don't you sit down next to me?"

Awkwardly, Sora did as he was bid, uncomfortably aware of Cloud's warm presence right next to him. "I… don't have any experience in this… area. Well, aside for my first night here…"

Cloud laid a hand on the top of his leg, which made Sora turn as red as a ripe tomato.

"It's always tough the first time. I'm here to make it better. The queen has instructed me to train you for a month, which means she likes you. You should be glad. Most boys never see her chamber again after the first night. For tonight, I will just prepare you for Riku, which will make it much less painful and more pleasurable."

He started moving his hand, gently rubbing Sora's leg.

"You can tell me to stop whenever you want, Sora. I'm not Riku, and I won't hurt you."

Sora did not know what to say.

"I… I'm not going to tell you to stop."

The next hour passed by in a blur for Sora. First Cloud was touching him all over, removing Sora's clothes and his own afterwards, whispering sweet words in Sora's ear, until they were both in their smallclothes. He spilled himself within five minutes, to his own shame, but Cloud smiled and told him it was okay. Then he pressed his soft lips against Sora's, and Sora thought he would die from the pleasure. Cloud pulled him onto his lap, and Sora could feel the older boy's manhood pressing against him. It felt wonderful, and made him shiver with pleasure.

Cloud was massaging his back with his strong hands, slipping one hand into Sora's smallclothes and between his cheeks. Sora shuddered, but Cloud told him to relax, and he did. Cloud gently laid him on his back, removing Sora's smallclothes, and started playfully pressing against his entrance with a finger. It hurt, and Sora tensed, but then Cloud's other hand was stroking his crotch, and he sighed with pleasure.

When Cloud finally pressed in it felt good, even when he added a second finger. Cloud patiently stretched him from within, and after that he spread Sora's legs apart and to the young boy's shock and delight, moved his head in between them and started kissing Sora's manhood. Sora had never felt anything better than the warmth of Cloud's mouth, the softness of his lips, the teasing of his tongue. Before long he climaxed a second time, sighing Cloud's name in ecstasy. He felt completely relaxed, marvelling at the sight of Cloud removing his last remaining piece of clothing, revealing his impressive length. He was not as huge as Riku was, thankfully, but he was still big, big enough to make Sora excited again. Cloud smiled as Sora's eyes widened.

"First lesson. Always look your partner in the eyes. That's where lust and love come in."

So Sora looked into Cloud's beautiful blue eyes as the older boy grabbed him by the ankles, lifting his legs on his wide shoulders. He massaged Sora's buttocks firmly, and then he guided himself into him.

Unlike his first time, which had been fast and messy and painful, Sora was fully prepared, and he felt only pleasure as Cloud buried himself within him. He let out a moan, too satisfied to feel ashamed. Cloud's lips were slightly parted, and his eyes were intense and bore into him as he started trusting faster and faster. Sora lost control over himself, and sounds of pleasure escaped his mouth as he was pounded into the bed. Cloud bent over him completely, almost folding him in half as he planted a firm kiss on Sora's gasping mouth. Then he changed positions, moving Sora around like a doll, trying to find the perfect angle for their lovemaking.

Cloud was positively slamming into him now, and the room was filled with the lewd sound of flesh smacking against flesh mixed with Sora's cries of pleasure. They came together, Sora moaning as he felt a flowing warmth entering him.

Then they lay together for a short while, Sora feeling safe and at peace lying there with his head against Cloud's chest. This was what sex should be like, he thought, like a dream that's too good to be true.

After a while, Cloud stood up, got dressed and excused himself.

"Roxas will be here soon. Get cleaned up. The queen awaits."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Domination

Aqua stared. Her training was supposed to have prepared her for everything, but she had not been prepared for this: being reunited with her best friend, whom she had said farewell to so long ago. And there he was, standing there with that confident grin on his face, in the armour of the royal guard… He looked just the same. His eyes were just as blue and just as bold, his hair just as messy, though he had let it grow since the day Aqua last saw him, so many years ago. But his jaw was broader, his cheekbones more pronounced, his eyes harsher and his voice lower. He was no longer the boy she had known and loved like a brother, but a man who was, essentially, a stranger to her.

She kept him against the wall, which only seemed to amuse Terra.

"Yeah yeah, it's nice to see you again too. So how about you get that sword off my throat, hmm?"

"What, I, how – what are you doing here?" Aqua managed.

"Well, right now, being at your mercy, obviously," he began, grinning at the annoyed glance Aqua gave him, "but aside from that, I was following you two. How unkind of you to just leave me behind like that. And here I was, hoping the two of us could still be friends."

"How are you even at the castle?" she snapped, annoyed by his mocking attitude. Of course she had imagined the two of them meeting again, many times in her head, but never once had it been like this. Furthermore, all prospects of seeing Terra again had been abandoned the moment she decided to flee Arcadia with her prince, Ventus.

"And they said you were the clever one," Terra said, his grin inexplicably becoming wider and more annoying, "the old Aqua would have concluded from my armour and my, well, gentrified manner that I had been recruited into the royal guard, and she would have been correct. And here I thought they only make you Valkyries prettier, but apparently they make you dumber as well."

She released him, and allowed him to casually pick up his greatsword, a black monstrosity that looked rather unwieldy to Aqua.

"You are a _royal? How?_" The royal guard, commonly referred to as the royals, were the most elite warriors in the kingdom along with the Valkyries. They recruited only the best of the best, and every noble lord gave their second sons to their recruiters to be tested. It was said that they also had scouts throughout the land, but most of their recruits were highborn, the same way it was with the Valkyries.

"It's a long story, and I am sure we would do better to get out of this lovely dank tunnel and out of the city before I enlighten you with it."

He turned his eyes to Ventus, who had been staring at them with his mouth hanging half-open. Recovering his princely grace, he closed it now, and nodded in a way that seemed both boyish and solemn. Terra made a mocking attempt at a curtsey and said: "Here to serve you, my prince. All right then, time to go! I know for a fact that I was not the only one assigned to tail you, and I would hate to end up in the clutches of that icy dragon lady."

Aqua was still perplexed. "You are joining us?"

"Of course I am," Terra said, and for once Aqua knew he was being completely serious.

"Now we have to get out of the city as quickly as possible. Will this tunnel get us somewhere safe?"

Aqua finally regained some of her composure, and replied, "Yes. If I have been informed correctly it should take us out of the city and into the Feywood. From there we can head towards the mountains, and after that, to the pirate coast. Then we can find a ship that will take us to the Shimmering Shores, and from there we can enter Rozarria. And by the way, were you just going to walk off into the darkness?" she gestured towards the void ahead of them.

"Do it then," Terra said, "show us some of that famous Valkyrie magic."

With a flick of her wrist Aqua conjured an orb of pure light, illuminating the dark tunnel ahead of them.

"Let's go." Terra said curtly, and he started walking. Ventus, still looking rather startled, glanced briefly at Aqua before following, and Aqua felt the uncomfortable sensation that she was no longer the one in charge of this journey. She swiftly caught up to Terra, who was marching through the tunnel at a brisk pace. The orb she had summoned was floating over them, casting an eerie light on the three companions. As Aqua and Terra walked side by side she became aware of how much taller he was now: he easily stood a head taller than herself, with wide shoulders and a broad back. Growing up together she had always been taller, being older by a year. That he towered over her now made it harder to see the boy in him that she had known so well.

"Terra…" she began.

"I promised didn't I? I promised that I would find you again. And that I would be there if you ever got in trouble. And here I am."

That put her at ease, she remembered the young boy now, small and skinny and yet full of courage and bravado that could match that of any seasoned soldier, easy to anger but also quick to smile.

"Let's talk about this journey. You brought gold with you, I hope?" Terra inquired, glancing at Ventus who was silently following behind them.

"Of course we did." Aqua snapped, not liking the way he was taking charge. He had always been bossy, even as a scrawny looking boy. She could imagine that he had only grown more authoritative, and now he looked the part of the leader as well as acting it.

"Good. The captains of the pirate coast do not come cheaply, especially now that rumours of a coming war are spreading. We will need to buy horses, and perhaps a pony to carry supplies. We can do that in Dali, after we leave the Feywood."

He looked at Aqua again, with a critical eye that made her uneasy. "We should also buy hair dye and commoner's clothes for the two of you there."

Aqua was about to protest, but Terra interrupted: "a blue-haired Valkyrie and a golden prince dressed in fancy silks, how difficult would they be to recognize, travelling in a small company? Any travelling merchant, singer or knowledgeable slob will alert the authorities immediately! Imagine the prize our good king would pay for the safe return of his son and heir, and the death of his two cruel kidnappers?"

"That's not the way –"

"Of course it's not. But it is the way this will be presented to the public. We could avoid villages and cities, and well we should, but we cannot rely on not encountering anyone on the road. Or would you rather we kill every single unfortunate soul we come across?"

Aqua held her tongue, seeing the wisdom in his words. _Still as street-smart as ever. _And suddenly she felt insanely grateful for his presence, unexpected as it was.

* * *

_Where is Riku? _Sora had expected the silver-haired boy to be lounging on the bed again, ready to provide him with a disdainful, sarcastic welcome, but the bedroom was completely empty safe for the queen herself. Sora half-expected him to emerge smirking from a dark corner, but he was truly alone with his mistress in the spacious room, illuminated by warm candlelight.

"Missing Riku?" the queen asked, smiling serenely. Her glossy blond hair had been braided to form a crown upon her head more magnificent than an actual crown could ever be, and her eyes were shining with emerald fire. Sora became painfully aware of the fact that he had neglected to greet her, and muttered apologies.

"It is quite alright Sora. Riku will not be joining us today… He went on quite the rage when I told him so, but alas, we cannot always get what we want. He is so hot-headed, full of fire and full of youth…"

For a moment Sora saw her years, and her green eyes looked old and wise and terrible and sad. The moment passed swiftly though, and she seemed young and beautiful once more.

"So why did I summon you here tonight, I can see you thinking. As it happens I have been informed of a particular incident during your 'joining' yesterday night."

Sora looked up at her, startled.

"Yes, yes, I know about this 'joining' and the 'Black Council'. Boys will be boys I suppose, and as long as things stay innocent I shall let such things pass."

Dragging an already frightened boy out of his bed, getting him drunk on Arcadian strongwine, and throwing him into a well after beating him with wooden paddles did not seem particularly innocent to Sora, but he decided to hold his tongue.

"The incident I am referring to is you blasting away a group of six strong young men with copious amounts of wine still flowing through your veins. You used magic during your joining, Sora. Were you aware you had magical talent?"

"No, your Grace. But I thought –"

"That it was not such a rare thing to be able to cast spells? True, but individuals such as Demyx have been taught the spells they know by another person, and can usually only cast one particular strand of spells. They shall never become proficient spell casters. For one to possess actual magical talent, that is a rare thing indeed, especially a talent that expresses itself in such a peculiar and… forceful manner."

She studied him for a moment. Sora was still taken aback by the perfection of her face, and the revelation that he possessed such a rare talent shocked him. He had never before thought of himself as special in any way.

"I.. had no idea." He said.

The queen smiled her graceful, pearly smile. "That is why I summoned you here. I have been waiting for a boy like you to come along for quite some time. From now on you will come here every night for private lessons."

"Private lessons, your Grace?"

"Yes Sora, I have no intention of letting such talent go to waste. Every night we shall meet. From Hope you shall learn of history and the sciences, from Zidane you shall learn the arts of war and combat, and from me you shall learn magic."

* * *

After a long walk during which Aqua frequently inquired after her prince's well-being, the unlikely trio finally reached the end of the passage, where a seal was imprinted upon a crystal panel on the top of the tunnel.

"So what now?" Ventus asked, nervously glancing at the death end they had come to.

Aqua recalled Setzer's explanation.

"The seal responds to white magic." She said, hoping the dampeners on her wrists would allow her to cast a spell powerful enough to break the seal. She then spread the palm of her hand and directed a cure spell towards the panel. The seal on it started glowing with a silvery light, and she carefully increased the intensity of the spell until the panel slid away, letting in streams of warm light, and a set of withered stairs arose, leading up to the opening.

"What's with the dampeners?" Terra asked suddenly.

Aqua froze. She had not told Ventus about her punishment, nor about how she broke her vows, and she was not prepared to do so now.

"That is no concern of yours." She said curtly, climbing the stone stairs, determined not to give in to him.

"It is, though," Terra insisted stubbornly, "chances are we will have to fight some of your pretty colleagues along the way, and our chances of victory are a lot smaller with you being only able to cast the most basic white magic spells. And I need to know why you got them in the first place. Did Lightning find out about your little escape plan?"

They emerged in the middle of a forest clearing, the tall trees and the thick mist of the Feywood surrounding them.

"Wow" Ventus said, clearly impressed. It reminded Aqua of the sheltered life her prince had led, only seeing the great sights of his own country in the images of dusty books. She turned towards Terra.

"Look, you should be thankful that we are letting you come along in the first place. Why don't you tell me how you even became a royal when last I looked you were –"

Lightning struck her. A thunder spell of immense power hit her right in the middle of her breastplate and brought her down to the ground, her muscles twitching uncontrollably.

_You fool. How could you not have checked for an ambush? _She was desperately trying to lift her head so she could see their attacker, but her muscles would not respond. She heard Ventus kneeling beside her, and the sound of Terra drawing his sword.

"Aqua! Are you okay?"

She tried to respond and failed, and then another voice spoke.

"Well, well, well."

Aqua recognized the voice. It was the voice of one of the people she hated most in the world. Of all the upper class girls who had made her Valkyrie training a living hell, Larxene had always been the cruellest and the most relentless. Aqua could only imagine the joy the girl would have felt at catching her unawares.

"A disgraced Valkyrie, a confused prince and a handsome royal. What a lovely triad the three of you make. And here I thought I was wasting my time in this misty, dank forest."

Finally managing to lift her head so she could look at the source of the sultry, callous voice, Aqua saw her, bone-thin even in her shining armour, brandishing a sword forged of molten green and yellow star metal that was pointed right at Terra, the tip still sparkling with thunder magic. Larxene. Just looking at her sent waves of hatred coursing through Aqua's veins.

"Hello Aqua," Larxene said, never taking her eyes off Terra, who was holding his black greatsword with both hands, "how delightful that it will be me who drags you back to Lightning. Breaking your vows would have probably resulted in exile, but kidnapping the prince… Oh dear, I do believe someone is about to be executed."

"Someone is," Terra spoke, his voice low and menacing, "And that someone has a ridiculous hairstyle and a bad attitude. Drop your sword, little girl, and I might kill you swiftly."

_He's doing the right thing. Make her angry, she'll make mistakes. _

Larxene's nostrils widened, a sign that Aqua knew warned of impending rage.

"Bloody oaf," she spat, "do you have any idea who you're dealing with here?"

"The worst of the Valkyries. All the royals have heard of the arrogant girl who only became a Valkyrie because her father begged the king. The same girl who was later voted as least attractive by the castle guard."

"_What?" _Larxene exclaimed, now clearly furious. Aqua knew what Terra said was most likely untrue, but it achieved the desired effect all the same.

"Filthy liar. Even if I was the least skilled of all Valkyries, I would still make short work of you. You are nothing but an armoured peasant."

Aqua hoped with all her heart this was not true. It was a subject of constant debate in Arcadia, who were in fact the deadliest soldiers in the realm. The Valkyries were the army's elite, proficient in swordplay, deadly sword magic and adept at white magic as well, but rumour had it that the training of the royals, the King's elite guard, was tougher than any other training, and that they wielded powers of their own.

"You will find out exactly what I am, right before I take your life." Terra said, his eyes dark and threatening.

"I will at that." Larxene said softly, the excitement and anticipation showing on her face.

She sidestepped slowly, keeping her sword pointed at Terra while examining him with her cold green eyes. And then she pounced.

* * *

Sora's mind was reeling when he stumbled back into his room, rubbing his eyes. The queen had been relentless in her teaching. It was almost as if she knew exactly what his limits were… _And she might at that. _

"Evening, little Sora."

Sora looked up, startled to find Riku lying on his bed, looking at him with intense turquoise eyes. He wore nothing but a pair of black trousers, leaving his pale, toned torso completely exposed.

"Riku… What ehm… What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" the older boy asked, seemingly amused, "Waiting to do _you, _obviously."

Sora blushed uncontrollably, causing Riku to laugh haughtily.

"Ah no need to blush now. I'm sure you were very disappointed that I wasn't there when you were summoned by the queen, weren't you?"

"I… well.."

"You enjoyed it, didn't you? I could tell I was your first and that you were _liking _it. You do like it, don't you? To be fucked?"

"Riku…"

"Did you or did you not like it?"

"I.. I liked it." Sora admitted, truthfully. There had been pain, but also pleasure, although it was a rather masochistic form of pleasure that was hard to distinguish from the pain.

"Come over here." Riku commanded.

Something in the way he said that left Sora with no other option than to obey him. He slowly climbed atop his big bed, sitting down on the side to remove his footwear, his back turned towards Riku. He felt Riku coming up behind him, his strong, bare arms pulling him against his chest, his large hands going over his upper body, fumbling at his clothes. He shivered as the silver-haired youth planted a harsh kiss on his neck.

"Try to relax, Sora… But feel free to squirm. I like it when you squirm."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Sorry about the late update... This chapter is a birthday gift for a special friend of mine! Hope you enjoy it, thanks to all the reviewers.

* * *

Chapter 6 - A Pit of Vipers

Larxene was on him in a flash, her blade a blur and her face a furious sneer. As she watched her attack, Aqua marveled at the calm efficiency with which Terra blocked her wild assault. He handled his enormous greatsword as if it were no heavier than a dagger, using his superior range to keep Larxene at a distance even as their blades met again and again. If Larxene was any regular soldier, he might have just tired her out and struck her down after exploiting a mistake she made in her exhaustion. He was facing a Valkyrie, however, and Aqua knew better than anyone the limits of Valkyrie endurance. Unlike normal humans they had magical power flowing through their veins, enabling them to perform amazing feats of strength and stamina. Terra would not be able to tire Larxene out easily, even with the way she was recklessly, relentlessly attacking him.

_He is holding his own against a Valkyrie. _

It was impossible, ridiculous. Among the Valkyries there was a collective disdain, an arrogance even, towards all 'common' soldiers, and the royals were included in this, even though their skills were shrouded in mystery and none of them had ever faced a Valkyrie. Still, it was inconceivable that they could match the powers of the Valkyries, who were empowered by magical forces and protected by the virgin warrior goddess.

He should not be able to block Larxene's attacks so easily, nor be able to match her speed. Valkyries were many times stronger than even a trained soldier, and twice as fast. Larxene was fast even for a Valkyrie, although she lacked in strength, technique and especially patience. And yet Aqua's eyes did not deceive her: Terra was seemingly effortlessly blocking Larxene's violent attacks.

As the two clashed again and again, the sound of steel against steel mixing with Larxene's shrill battle cries, Aqua picked up another sound: Ventus stirring beside her. As she turned her head with enormous effort she saw to her horror that he had removed her dagger from its sheath, and was now moving away from her and behind Larxene, who was completely focused on breaking through Terra's unyielding defence.

_NO! _Her prince was putting himself at great risk, and Aqua was powerless to stop him, still unable to move. She could only hope that even in her rage Larxene was not foolish enough to harm the prince of Arcadia, the prince she was supposed to save. Unfortunately, Larxene had always been violent and temperamental, and in the heat of battle there was no telling whether she would be able to control herself.

Ventus was now standing directly behind Larxene, who had not looked behind her once. He hesitated, then moved in closer, lifting the dagger above his head…

For one wild instant it looked like that would be the end of it, that he would strike Larxene down then and there. But a Valkyrie's senses are sharp, and to sneak up on one of them is neigh impossible. Aqua screamed silently as she saw how Larxene, who had just pushed Terra back for a moment with a particularly vicious blow, whipped around like lighting and struck Ventus' temple with the flat of her blade. He collapsed instantly, but Aqua thanked the gods. _Not a fatal blow. _

The fight intensified, yet none of the two was able to win any ground on the other.

"How disappointing." Terra goaded, dodging a lighting-fast jab from Larxene, "and here I thought a duel with a Valkyrie would at least be an interesting experience."

Larxene fell back for a moment, but Aqua recognized the power gathering in her blade as she prepared an attack that would inevitably strike Terra down. She wanted to scream, but she was unable to.

"Experience _this_!" Larxene cried, unleashing a shock spell from her sword, an attack of pure energy that would blast right through Terra in an instant.

The light was blinding, and for a moment Aqua thought with horror that Terra had disappeared entirely, that the blast had obliterated every trace of him. Then all the light faded, as if absorbed by some unknown force, and Terra came rushing in, catching a panting Larxene completely unawares. For a moment she resisted, but then with a massive swipe of his greatsword he knocked her slender blade out of her hand, allowing him to move in and bash her with his armoured shoulder. She fell down, tried to roll away, but to no avail: he was on her almost instantly, pinning her arms to the ground with his knees. He drew one of the slender twin daggers he carried on his waist and brought it to Larxene's exposed throat. Then he hesitated, looking at Aqua as if asking for permission. Aqua stared at them, Terra on top of Larxene, pinning her down, and for one flashing instant she felt a wave of jealousy at the intimacy of their position, a jealousy that was so ridiculous that she dismissed it instantly.

She realized that through this look, Terra was essentially forcing the decision on her. Although she had been trained to kill every day for years, Aqua had never actually killed a person, and it felt overwhelming and decidedly wrong to have the authority to end another person's life. But as she looked at Larxene, who was furiously struggling to free herself, she felt years of hatred and humiliation coming back to her. She nodded to Terra.

* * *

Sora's first week had gone by in a blur. His days were filled with learning, learning and yet more learning. Hope taught him in the morning: history, mathematics, magical theory, even warfare… He was constantly droning on facts and testing Sora's memory. Every class started with a draining repetition of the previous session, with Hope desperately searching for gaps in Sora's knowledge.

After that there was the lunch break, which was perhaps even more stressful than the classes because of the treacherous social hierarchy that Sora quickly discovered dictated the behaviour of all the castle's residents. Of all the young men serving the queen, Roxas and perhaps Cloud and Tidus were the only ones Sora genuinely liked and felt he could trust. All the others seemed to care for was their own status and advancement. The lunch break was filled with the exchange of bawdy jokes, sarcastic remarks and open or veiled insults.

Next came his daily session with Zidane, which was probably Sora's favourite part of the day, even though Zidane worked him to the bone and all of his muscles ached afterwards. He especially enjoyed the swordplay, even though it were only wooden swords they practiced with. Zidane even gave him the occasional compliment, saying he was quick but also urging him to do push ups every morning and night in order to improve his strength. Seeing that throughout his training Zidane already forced him to constantly do more push ups, squats and other strength exercises than he could bear, and his nights were occupied by exertions of a different kind, Sora quickly found he really could not manage that.

Sweat-soaked and worn out, Sora then dragged himself to his chamber for a hot bath. He had not yet visited the bathing hall that most of the others, including Roxas, made use of every day. His friend kept urging him to join him there, chattering enthusiastically about all the different baths available, but Sora found the idea of yet more banter and the likes of Axel and Saix looking at his naked body rather disconcerting.

After his bath he had a free hour which he cherished. He generally spent it in the Palace Garden, the most peaceful place he had ever seen, walking the flowery pathways or sitting down on the silver benches, looking out on long, rectangular streams and the perfectly tended flower beds. Sometimes Roxas joint him there. The blond boy, although still prone to moments of inexplicable sullenness, had been a great friend to him in the overwhelming world within the Palace, explaining the customs and the many social trapdoors.

If Roxas did not join him in the gardens they met at the feast, a boisterous social affair that repeated itself every day. The wine flowed in large amounts, and the atmosphere was filled with loud laughter and boisterous male voices. The Queen never dined with them and Riku only joined the group occasionally. The day before he sat across from Sora and Roxas, and had spent the entire diner boldly staring at the brunet with an amused and strangely hungry look on his pale face, and Sora had looked down at his plate and blushed furiously and left as soon as possible.

Luckily, tonight the silver-haired boy was not present at the feast. Sora fell down in his seat at the diner table next to Roxas with a heavy sigh, famished and completely exhausted by the day's exertions. His morning session with Hope had been particularly strenuous, with his disdainful tutor forcing him through a large number of basic mathematical problems. Zidane, for his part, had ensured that his body was just as worn out as his mind.

"Rough day?" Roxas asked sympathetically but distractedly, in a way that was very typical of him.

"Please don't ask." Sora said, gratefully filling his bowl with a steaming and earthy smelling mushroom soup. The food served in the Palace was always great, and tonight was no exception.

He had almost downed his bowl when, to his surprise, a smug-faced redhead sat down next to him. He noticed his friend immediately tensing beside him.

"Err… hello there, Axel.." he said uncomfortably. He never knew quite what to think of Axel. He could be perfectly nice for one moment and make a sarcastic and humiliating joke the next. Once, during lunch, he had referred to Sora as 'Riku's favoured toy', to the amusement of the entire table. Sora almost ran out of the hall, but Roxas quickly came to his defense, suggesting that Axel was only jealous of Sora's favour with Riku and the queen and calling him an arrogant prick. Sora remembered the way Axels mouth had opened and then closed again, thinking it odd because of all the servants, Axel was probably the boldest and the mouthiest, being an unofficial leader in a way as head of the Black Council. His power was not official like Baralai's, nor was he particularly close to the queen like Riku, but others treated him with respect and everyone listened when he spoke.

"Well, hello back, Sora. Careful there, you look like you are about to choke on that mushroom soup. I know Noel's cooking is to die for, but one should not take such a saying too literally, don't you agree?" As always when he talked, his green eyes flashed dangerously, and a cocky grin was never far from his lips.

"What do you want, Axel?" Roxas asked brusquely, "You do not usually deign to mingle with the newcomers."

"No need to be so aggressive Roxy. Perhaps I am just trying to make new friends. Rumour has it Sora here is climbing the flowery ladder of the Palace hierarchy rather quickly, and that the Queen is having him over in her chambers every night."

_So that is what interests them. _For the last couple of days Sora had often found the other servants staring at him, some quickly looking away when they made eye contact but others boldly examining him with a quizzical expression. He also got the uncomfortable impression that he was the subject of many a diner conversation, but he had not the slightest idea why. No one seemed to be particularly interested in Tidus, and he had arrived at the Palace just a week before Sora had. Now it all made sense: they had been wondering why the he was meeting with the Queen in private. Sora did not wonder how they knew about that: he was quite aware of the explosive way information spread within the palace.

"I cannot help but wonder," Axel continued, lazily helping himself to a plate of stuffed peppers, "what amazing talent of yours led the queen to become so fond of you in your first week here…"

He brought a pepper to his mouth and took a large bite, chewing noisily.

"I mean… you have to understand, a slob like myself has had to work his way up in this place, and though I have done that for quite some time now, even I am not asked over for a glass of wine by her Grace so regularly. What am I missing, then? Is there some special talent you possess? You do not seem particularly eloquent to me, excuse me if I offend you, so I assume she does not summon you for the quality of your conversation."

He smiled smugly, and consumed another stuffed pepper, never taking his away from Sora.

Sora wanted desperately to prove he _was _eloquent, to say something clever that would cause Axel to stupidly open and close his mouth and fall silent, like Roxas had done, but he found he could not think of anything. The Queen had casually instructed him not to mention their private sessions to any of the other servants after his very first magic lesson.

"We do not want them to fear you turning them into toads, do we?" she had said with her serene smile.

When he did not respond, Axel sighed and continued to speak, "I am only asking because I always enjoy myself whenever she calls me there. Especially so the last time it happened, some weeks ago, when I and Roxy here were both summoned for her pleasure… A very interesting night that was, indeed." He smirked and looked at Roxas out of the corner of his eyes.

"For you perhaps," Roxas said airily, pouring himself a glass of white wine, "for me it was mostly disappointing and rather uncomfortable, to be honest."

Not for the first time Sora wondered how Roxas even dared to speak like that to the others, all of whom were older, taller and must technically have been in the Palace longer.

A flash of genuine hurt passed through Axel's bright green eyes, but he quickly recovered and whined, "Aww, you hurt me Roxas. I distinctly remember your cries of pleasure that night… Always nice to see someone's mask fall off and watch the beast come out. When will you let go of all the hate and give in to your obvious attraction to me?"

Roxas blushed, and quickly helped himself to a long sip of wine. "How about never?"

Axel sighed dramatically. "Suit yourself then. Anyhow, I have another reason to come over here."

"Other than to annoy us and ask pointless questions?"

"Yes, other than that, Roxy. A little bird informed that we have an important guest tomorrow."

"A guest?" Sora asked stupidly.

"Yes, little Sora. A guest. Someone who does not live here but who is only visiting. That sort of guest. And guess who the guest is?"

They did not respond, Roxas simply lifted an eyebrow and looked at Axel with disdain and Sora had no ideas for a guess.

"You boys are no fun. Anyways, the guest is… High Executor Xemnas himself. He rarely ever visits… Big things must be happening in the outside world for him to come bore the Queen with politics."

* * *

When Aqua finally regained some control over her muscles, Terra was sitting quietly on the grass, facing Larxene's motionless body, which was shrouded by the Feywood's thick mist and looked rather ghostly. Ventus was still unconscious. She stood, shakily, and Terra's head turned towards her. His eyes were filled with a solemnity that did not suit him, and she wondered whether Larxene was the first person he had killed. Silently, Aqua walked over to the corpse and looked down on the girl who had tormented her for years. She had hated her, even wished her dead in her darkest moments, but as she at Larxene's face, pale in death and in sharp contrast with the dark blood that had flown from her cut throat, she felt nothing but a sort of numb revulsion at the ugliness of death.

The prince looked ridiculously peaceful, lying on his back a few yards away from Larxene. Aqua picked up her dagger, sheathed it, then kneeled down next to him and cast a spell that awakened him from his unconscious state. With a gasp of air he opened his eyes. For a moment he seemed unaware of where he was, looking around him wildly. Then his blue eyes focused on Aqua. He lifted himself up somewhat.

"Aqua what… what happened?"

"It is all right, my prince. Terra… Larxene is dead."

"Dead?" His eyes widened. He was so innocent. How else had he expected this to end?

Then he saw the body, and his mouth fell open.

"Are you well?" she asked kindly, tentatively.

"I am…. I am fine. I suppose this could not be avoided. Should we… should we do something?"

Aqua hesitated. In her paralysis she had considered the matter.

"We cannot bury the body. We have no spades and it would cost too much time. I think we should take it with us, deeper into the Feywood, and look for a pile of leaves or something else to cover her with. Then we should leave the wood as fast as we can. When Larxene does not report back the Valkyries will check this area, and if they find nothing they will most likely search this entire wood immediately. The mist gives us an advantage, and they will not know where we are headed, but we should take no risks and travel as fast as we can manage."

She looked at her friend, still sitting quietly on the forest floor. "Terra, could you…" Without a single word, Terra stood up and lifted the Valkyrie's corpse off the ground without effort.

"We should leave this place." He announced curtly. Aqua nodded. She realized something then. The boy she had known and prowled the streets of Arcades with was gone. In his place was this new Terra, a tall, deadly soldier with powers she did not yet understand… And she realized the source of the wave of jealousy she had felt. A part of her wanted this new Terra, the same part that had been seduced before by Setzer's handsome face and gentle words.

_A dangerous road to take. I will not fall into that pit of vipers ever again. _But as they walked through the misty Feywood, Terra's back broad and his stride fierce, she felt rather less sure of her own resilience.


	7. Interlude - Cloud's Story

A/N: Thanks to all reviewers :) This chapter is a side chapter that serves as an interlude to the main story. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Interlude – Cloud's Story

"No, Sora. Not like that. Slowly. With passion. Make every movement count. You are in control in this position. Enjoy it. Set the rhythm. Prolong my pleasure as well as your own."

_How can he act the teacher even now? _

Cloud was lying on his back on Sora's bed, a golden vision of beauty amidst scarlet sheets. His abdominals were extra defined as he was slightly lifting his hips, and Sora with them. His head was raised to gaze at Sora with his mesmerizing blue eyes. His straw blond hair was messier than usual, and a slight, hardly noticeable flush was on his pale cheeks. Other than that, however, nothing about him hinted at the intimacy of their position, certainly not his calm tone of voice.

"It's…Hard.." Sora managed.

Sora's situation was a different story. He had hoped he would be used to this particular type of activity after a week, but he had been sorely mistaken. During their extended foreplay he had already climaxed twice, though he had been desperate to avoid it, as Cloud was always telling him that by delaying the orgasm it would only intensify in the end. However, Sora felt like he did not need any more intensity: these lessons were too intense to handle as it was.

Right now he was mostly trying to regain control over his breathing, and to adjust to the feeling of Cloud filling him. He leaned back a little more, trying to maintain his balance, and moaned as the movement only deepened the penetration.

"Easy there, Sora. Try distancing yourself from the pleasure. Only then can you gain control over it." Cloud offered helpfully.

_Easy for him to say. _

One would thing he had been used to it by now, but Cloud's face, Cloud's body was still enough to make him blush and harden in his breeches. His shapely lips, his absorbing eyes, his broad, strong chest… It was enough to make it impossible for Sora to take it easy. Having sex with Cloud took his last bit of human control away from him, turning him into a creature that existed only of lust, and sought only gratification of its own desires.

He rolled his hips slowly, in the way Cloud had instructed him to. Even that amount of friction made him whimper, and he had to discipline himself in order to refrain from bouncing like a maniacal young girl. Slowly his body adjusted to Cloud's hard member inside him, and he followed Cloud's instructions and set a steady rhythm for their lovemaking. When they finally came they did so together, and Sora lost all control and let out a long, low moan, while Cloud let out a single grunt. As they rested together in Sora's bed, Cloud's arm casually draped behind the younger boy's shoulders, Sora turned to face the older man, who looked almost asleep with his eyes peacefully closed.

"Did you hear?" he whispered softly, "Axel told me the High Executor is visiting tomorrow."

Cloud's eyes opened instantly, and Sora was surprised to see cold, undiluted hated. He had never seen the blond show so much emotion, and it frightened him in a way.

"I heard." Cloud said grimly, "I asked the Queen for her permission to remain absent during his audience, but she informed me he knew the exact number of her Palace household and would take it as an insult or perhaps worse if any of us were absent."

"You… wanted to remain absent? Why? It is rather exciting, don't you think, the High Executor visiting? He is the most powerful man in Rozarria after all; it would be interesting to see what he is like in person."

Cloud's face remained unforgiving, his eyes dark, smouldering with anger.

"I know what he is like well enough."

"You have met before?"

He shook his head. "Not in person. But he…" he sighed. "It's a long story."

"I don't mind!" Sora said, a little too eagerly perhaps. Then he had an idea. "We can take a bath together and you can tell me!" he blurted out, blushing at his own forwardness. He could not help it: Cloud interested him, not just as someone to sleep with, but as a person. He never really talked about himself, and Sora would grab any opportunity to learn about his past, which, according to the likes of Axel and Noel, was as shady as it was interesting.

Cloud hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sure. A bath would be nice."

They were both silent as the bath filled up, a cascade of steaming water descending into the massive tub. Cloud sat down on the edge, His naked body completely relaxed, his face pensive.

Sora let out a sigh of complete and utter relaxation as he sank himself down in the tub, and tried not to look as Cloud did the same across from him. The water felt hot and cleansing as it surrounded him, and he laid his head back in relief. For a while he let his mind go blank, and he had almost forgotten about Cloud's story when the blond man spoke up.

"I was seven when there was a horrible accident in the place I grew up in," Cloud said quietly, his voice little more than a faint whisper, "my family lived in Nibelheim, a tiny village in the mountains close to the Shimmering Shore."

"Monsters, large wolflike creatures, had suddenly, inexplicably, come out of the mine most of the men, including my father, worked in, and had killed two miners and wounded ten more. Worse though, some of the wounded started to mutate horribly. That was what attracted the attention of the local authorities. They alerted the government, and they in turn quickly sent a Sub-Executor and his guardsmen to investigate. An ambitious and brilliant Sub-Executor who had been educated in the Queen's palace. Xemnas."

An expression of pain passed over Cloud's face, but he continued with his tale.

"He spoke with the mayor about the situation and immediately ordered all of the miners involved quarantined. In turn, he examined the bodies of the unharmed miners, the wounded miners, the mutated miners and one of the creatures that had attacked. Then he gathered the entire town in order to inform them of his conclusions and of the measures he had decided to take. I remember the scene very clearly. It was cold, the biting mountain wind swirling around us, through us almost. Everyone was silent. Sub-Executor Xemnas, wrapped in black robes lined with white fur, could hardly have been older than twenty, but he was an impressive speaker, and everything about him suggested a sophistication and an authority we had never seen before. In calm, reasonable terms he explained that the monsters that had attacked seemed capable of infecting humans with a powerful virus that would, in time, cause infected humans to mutate into a lesser form of the monsters, losing their humanity in the process.

The virus spread quickly and there was no known cure, and if it spread beyond Nibelheim, it could be a serious threat to the Rozarrian people. Therefore, it had to be dealt with swiftly and without hesitation. He paused then, and the villagers were all waiting, my mother included, for his conclusion. Everything he had said sounded reasonable, but what was to be done, then? I remember the way he looked at the crowd with an expression of odd bemusement, as if surprised by our stupidity. What he said next sounded just as logical, just as reasonable as the rest of his monologue, but it shook the fate of our entire village. I remember his exact words to this day.

'Therefore, I regret to inform you that as Sub-Executor I have come to the conclusion that none of the involved miners can be allowed to live and possibly spread the virus. The risk is simply too great. By the authority invested in me by the Rozarrian government, I order the death of all 49 miners involved in the incident by immediate beheading. They are to have no further contact with other individuals, and their bodies are to be burned immediately after their deaths.'

For a what seemed like hours no one spoke or even breathed. Then everyone who was gathered there, the women, the old men, the children, started to scream at once. Xemnas blinked a few times and then retreated to the building that served as his accommodation to prepare for the execution of the miners. The crowd tried to reach him but his guards prevented them from doing so. The miners were killed in the same building they had been quarantined in, and that same day a pyre was erected so that their bodies could be burned."

Sora did not know what to say. He waited for Cloud to continue.

"My father was one of the miners, one of those who had had no direct contact with the creatures but had been sentenced to die all the same. I recognized his headless body on the pile when they lit the pyre. If I close my eyes I can still see it burn. And I can see the joy go out of my mother's eyes, forever.

The Sub-Executor oversaw the whole procedure, surrounded by guards, villagers shouting at him and trying to reach him all the while. He seemed undisturbed by the whole affair, and left almost immediately after the bodies had been burned and the mine closed of, leaving guards behind to ensure that the virus was properly contained, and that the creatures did not return. I did not see him again until nine years after that."

Sora looked up at Cloud, but the blond man was staring into the depths of the tub, apparently lost in thought.

"My mother never smiled again, and started drinking large amounts of cheap, colourless liquor to forget her sorrow. On my ninth birthday she announced that we were leaving Nibelheim to live in Belshar, a nearby city on the Shimmering Shores. At school I had heard of Belshar. It was one of the slave cities along the Shimmering Shores, not part of Rozarria and therefore completely autonomous. I was scared and I did not understand.

We had never left the village you see, and we were so poor that I wondered how we were ever going to even make it into the city. But leave we did. My mother sold everything we had and bought a donkey to carry what little supplies we could afford. It was a long, hard road, but the hardest thing was my mom's behaviour. She had been an alcoholic ever since the mining incident, spending every extra penny she managed to scrape together at the liquor shop down the street, and when she was without alcohol she was impossible to live with.

She would be cranky and swear at things constantly. But now, although she had been without alcohol for more than a week, she barely spoke to me at all. She seemed completely absorbed by her goal of reaching our destination. Belshar. The slave city. One time she stumbled, and when I tried to help her up she pushed me away, muttering feverishly and focusing her gaze on some point far ahead. Other times I caught her watching me in a way that frightened me deeply, though I did not yet know why.

When we finally reached that dreadful city she told me to wait for her at the square and marched off promptly. Looking back, I think part of me realized something terrible was about to happen. I wanted to run, leave that stinking city where near-naked slaves were whipped in the middle of the street with no one caring, and somehow make my way back to Nibelheim, but my mother was the only one left to me, even though I knew she did not love me as other mothers loved their children."

_What a horrible thing to say, _Sora thought. Cloud had said it almost without emotion, in the same deep, monotonous voice he had told the rest of his story in.

"She returned and told me to come with her. She sold the donkey, and then brought me to an enormous, luxurious building… to sell me."

He closed his eyes for a moment, and Sora felt like he should say something but could not find the words. When the silence became almost unbearably heavy, Cloud resumed his monologue.

"It all happened so quickly. I remember constantly tugging my mother's dress as she was talking to the fat proprietor, unable to grasp what was going on. I had no idea what they were talking about. She was saying things like 'he might be skinny, but he has a healthy appetite,' and, 'he's strong, always has been,' and even, 'I know blond boys are the most valuable, so don't you try to go cheap on _me._', but never once the thought occurred to me that she might be selling me to this sweat-soaked whale of a man. Not until he called two women who grabbed me and handed my mother a fat sack of gold. She took it, weighed it, nodded, and promptly walked away. I like to believe that I imagined that part, that she actually looked back at me in tears, showed some _resentment _of what she had done, but that would be a lie. There was no such acknowledgement, no regrets. She had made this decision a long time ago."

Cloud had kept his eyes closed the whole time, but now he opened them, and there was the slightest hint of sadness visible.

"I screamed like a pig then, as the realization hit me. I was _sold. _No longer did I belong to myself. My mother and I had lived in the harshest conditions imaginable, but I had had my freedom, and now even that was taken from me. I struggled violently, screaming gibberish, random cries of fear and despair, but the women were young and strong; mean, experienced bed slaves as I later found out. One of them slapped me across the face so violently that I was stunned for five seconds, during which they shoved me into a dark room and locked the door.

I cried, I screamed, I threw myself against the door more than a hundred times, I tore my clothes to ribbons and searched around the room for things to destroy, but there was nothing there except for a stone bed with ragged sheets on top that was too heavy for me to lift.

I didn't even realize how I was tiring myself until I collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep, strangely peaceful sleep.

The next thing I was aware of was a blinding light. They had moved me into a bright, elegantly ornamented room and deposited me on a gilded chair that must have been worth more than the house we had in Nibelheim. I was facing a massive desk. Behind it, perched on an extra wide chair, was the fat man from before. In calm, businesslike terms he explained to me what my life would look like from now on. I had been sold to the reputable Seventh Heaven, one of the finest pleasure houses in Belshar and perhaps in the entire world. I would serve the finest noblemen and noble ladies, who would pay in gold to possess my body for as long as they desired. It was a great honour to serve these noble lords and ladies in this way, he explained.

My first years would be spent in training, after which I would start to work part-time and finally full-time. If I disobeyed I would be punished. If I tried to run I would be punished harshly. They had a capable white mage in their employment, he confessed to me, who was specialized in healing away the kind of scars left by corporal punishment. Throughout his monologue I had kept silent, feeling oddly numb, but as soon as he was done my rage came back, more terrible than ever. I grabbed a sharp object, some sort of letter opener, that I had been eyeing on his desk and almost managed to slit his throat with it before his guards came in and dragged me out of there. Later I heard that the white mage only barely managed to save him.

I learned the hard way those first few weeks that disobedience would only make things worse. After that first outburst I was whipped for hours on end, healed back to full health, and then whipped again, and that wasn't the worst I endured. I tried to escape once, a stupid, unprepared and emotional attempt, and after I had been dragged back they tortured me with fire, slowly burning the soles of my feet with the flame of a candle. "

A shiver went through Cloud's body.

"After that I told myself that I would never disobey them again. I would be their image of perfection, make them warm up to me and then…. I would live the best possible life I could live there.

The teaching period was quite shocking at first. We mostly had to observe the older boys and girls at work. There were special mirrors for this purpose: the clients had no idea they were being watched. This meant, of course, that we saw the most vile, uncensored copulations imaginable. At nine it was hard to fully comprehend what I was seeing, and to imagine myself working this way was… impossible."

He paused for a while, absently staring into the depths of the bath, then went on with his story.

"It wasn't that bad though. The only physical instructions they gave us at first was how to give massages. You have no idea how many different massage techniques I mastered, some coming from the most obscure part of the world. They also taught me how to write and read, lectured me about history and the great works of literature, and to recite poetry by heart. This was not some dingy small-town brothel, they told us: all of their employees were expected to be cultured, sophisticated individuals.

I will spare you the details of what my life was like as a bedslave. Let it suffice to say that although the work was appalling and humiliating, I had learned well and quickly became quite popular with many of our most valued customers. During this time I developed somewhat of a shell around my mind: my body no longer belonged to me, so I distanced myself from it, and from the people around me, the clients and my fellow slaves alike. It is a difficult thing to explain, but it helped me survive in that place.

However, there was one girl I who broke through my shell, and whom I developed a deep friendship with; a bedslave like myself: Aerith. She was around the same age as I was, though she had been at the pleasure house for longer, and though she looked rather ordinary with her brown hair and green eyes, there was a light in her that was impossible to ignore. She was beautiful in a deeper, more memorable way than any of the other girls. She was somewhat of a mentor to me , encouraging me to make do as best as I could, and never to stop enjoying what small parts of our lives there were to enjoy. It was like she helped me rediscover a happiness I hadn't known since the day my father was killed along with all those other miners. 'Never forget to smile, Cloud,' she used to tell me all the time, enchanting me with her own beautiful, perfect smile.

We would meet whenever we could, and we would talk for ages, about everything and nothing at the same time. By the time I was sixteen I was the most popular male to work in the Seventh Heaven, and she held the same position among the female bedslaves. Because of this, all the others were jealous and resentful of us, and we only had each other to relate to. Having her for a friend was enough not only to survive in that place, but also to discover some form of happiness there.

One day, this happiness was shattered, by the same person who had ruined my childhood. Unusually late at night, when I was already finished for the day, I was called away into the section of the brothel where we received our most valued customers, those rich or important enough to receive a special, more private treatment. It was only me, Aerith, and four of the other most popular male and female bedslaves there, as well as two guards, the fat proprietor, and the client. I froze as soon as I saw him. The same yellow, emotionless eyes, the same glossy white mane of hair. Xemnas. It was like we were fated to meet again.

'There they are, Executor,' the proprietor said in the slimily pleasant manner he reserved for customers, 'our finest boys and girls. All of them are experienced in the eight eternities of pleasure and sure to cater your every desire. You can have any one or more of these little gems, even all of them if that is your wish, perhaps in turn or all at once.'

I immediately noted the change in title; he was no longer a mere Sub-Executor, but had already been promoted to the rank of full Executor. Somehow this did not surprise me. I prayed to all the gods I knew of that he would not pick me; it would just be too much, after everything that had happened.

Executor Xemnas examined each of us in turn, then spoke. His tone was softer and seemed deeper than before, but it had the same emotionless authority to it.

'There was no need for you to present me with these boys. I have no taste for such perversions. These girls are lovely, however. Especially this middle one.'

To my horror, his evil eyes focused on Aerith. There was an odd sort of wariness in her normally unwaveringly cheerful eyes, as if some part of her could sense his evil.

'What is your name, girl?' Xemnas asked softly, maliciously.

'Aerith, my lord.'

'A lovely name.' he said absently. 'Yes, you will do nicely.'

The rest of us were quickly dismissed, and I tried make eye contact with Aeirth, to make sure that she would be okay and perhaps to warn her, but she was looking at the ground.

Back in my room I couldn't sleep, I kept trying to think of Xemnas and the fact that Aerith was with him…. It was like he had returned to my life for the sole purpose of destroying it all over again.

I was just starting to dose off when Aerith staggered into my room. Thankfully, I had a small chamber all to myself as one of the brothel's elite. I immediately knew something was wrong. Her eyes seemed empty, devoid of their usual energy. Her skin was glistening with sweat.

'Cloud…' she said, and she collapsed on the floor. I tried to lift her up, asked her what happened, but she just kept shaking her head. She was trembling in my arms, like she was sick with fever, but I could not get a word out of her until she stood up shakily and announced: 'I must go. I must sleep…' I wanted to stop her from walking out of the room, but I had no idea what to do. I knew Xemnas must have done something terrible to her to make her act this way: Aerith was the strongest, most stable person I knew."

Cloud paused again and shook his head.

"Aerith never recovered. Over the next couple of days, I had to hear from the other bedslaves, parasitic gossipmongers, how she had lost it, how she was no longer able to please any of her clients. I sought her out, cornered her, and tried to force her to tell me what was wrong, what had happened. At first she said nothing, but I didn't give up. Then she told me:

'Part of me has died, Cloud. Or rather, it has been taken away from me. And I am lost without it. I can't bear any man's touch any longer.'

'But why?' I cried, desperate, 'What did that man do to you?'

She shook her head, 'I cannot talk about it. All I can say is that part of me is lost, a part that helped me survive in this place. I am useless to the brothel now. I suppose they will rid themselves of me soon.'

I shook my head, unable and unwilling to understand any of what she was saying. I shook her violently, screaming at her to get a grip, telling her not to give up like this, but she just smiled in resignation.

Then she asked me to make love to her.

'What?' I asked completely shocked. I had always thought of Aerith only as a friend; I had never had any true sexual feelings for a girl, although I had of course slept with many female clients. I had always been only interested in men when it came to sex.

'It is something I have to do before I am disposed of. It might help me, or it might not, but it is something that I have to do. Please, Cloud.'

I could not refuse her, of course. She was the only person I loved in the world, and if there was even the slightest chance to help her I would take it. I started kissing her and touching her all over, using all the ways to please women I had been taught, and she shuddered with pleasure. It was completely unlike any sexual experience I had had with any of my clients. Something deeper was driving her than physical desire, and I was driven by something else entirely.

I was gentler with her than I had ever been with any of my female clients, but she started to cry as soon as I entered her, sobbing uncontrollably even as I caused her to cry out in pleasure. She came, and came again, until it was as if she was stuck in one long, unending orgasm, and finally I was climaxing with her. The tears ran down her cheeks, and I had no idea what those tears meant, I still don't. She thanked me and kissed me on my forehead. 'Never forget to keep smiling, Cloud,' she whispered to me before she quietly left.

Those were the last words she ever spoke to me. Two days later Aerith disappeared. When I asked after her I was told, 'You know what happens to slaves who fail at their duty. Everyone knows.'

They had killed her. They had killed the only light I had left in my life. But they were not the ones responsible for her death. Xemnas was. Just like he was responsible for my father's death, and for my mother selling me to a pleasure house. I was consumed by hatred then, and grief for Aerith. I would probably have lost myself in it and ultimately disappeared in the same way that Aerith had, if I had not been recruited into the Queen's service shortly afterwards.'

A smile crossed his pale, beautiful lips.

"Leon and Seifer came in one day, showing the Queen's seal and ordering me to come with them. The proprietor himself was called over, and he refused to let me go. I was one of his most prized possessions, after all. The Queen had no authority over the Free Cities, he started bellowing, his face red – and then Leon drew his sword and slashed his throat open with a single sweep.

'Is there anyone else here who questions the Queen's authority?' he demanded. No one said anything. I was staring from the dead proprietor to Leon with my mouth wide open. He had moved so swiftly and effortlessly that the brothel's guards did not dare to act.

'We're leaving.' He told me, and he gestured at me to follow them outside. I realized two things at that moment. That I was free from the Seventh Heaven, free from a life of selling my body, and that I was in love with Leon."

The water had cooled when Cloud finished his story. Sora was quiet for a while, lost in thought just like Cloud was.

"Wow Cloud…" he said, "I really do not know what to say."

"Maybe that is because there is nothing to say. Maybe there is no conclusion, no morality or higher truth that can be gained from this story." Cloud said thoughtfully.

"Have you ever…" Sora asked, hesitant, "have you ever told anyone?"

"Yes," Cloud looked right at him with those striking blue eyes, and he smiled wryly.

"Just now."


End file.
